


The Make-Up Artist

by BlueJeanBaby1189



Category: Actor RPF, British Actor RPF, Rocketman (2019) RPF, Taron Egerton - Fandom
Genre: Angst, Angst and Romance, Celebrity Crush, Drama & Romance, Eventual Romance, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Love, Romance, Slow Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-05
Updated: 2020-04-14
Packaged: 2020-06-15 06:51:47
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 36
Words: 125,266
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19607782
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BlueJeanBaby1189/pseuds/BlueJeanBaby1189
Summary: This is a work of fanfiction based on Taron Egerton and the filming of Rocketman. It is set from the point of view of a young make-up artist who has come to work on the set of Rocketman. The unnamed character gets to know and care for Taron through the development of the film and all the situations that take place during filming. These are individual chapters/imaginings that I will eventually formulate into a comprehensive work of fanfiction.Disclaimer: I do not know any of these people from my stories personally, nor do I know any details about the filming or process of the movie, Rocketman. This is a completely made up work from my own imagination based on pictures I've seen and things I've read.





	1. Prologue: The Photo

"Oh my God", you exclaim as you walk into his trailer and see him looking in the mirror at himself. "What are you wearing and who sewed you into those?" You try to suppress a giggle as he finds your eyes in the mirror before slowly turning around to face you.

"What? You don't like it?" Taron says with a slight gleam in his eyes as he spreads his arms and looks down at himself. "I was thinking about asking if I could keep these forever", he says sarcastically placing his hands on his hips and glancing down at the gold shiny hot pants in question that look like they are practically glued onto his body.

"No, they're um...really great," you say as you give him a once over. His eyes, the color of moss or jade or seawater...you're not quite sure how you would describe them; look slightly tired but still animated. You can't help but notice the slight darkness under his eyes and wonder if you should apply some more concealer on him. He's got one eyebrow slightly arched as he gazes at you. The strong angular jaw with just a sprinkling of stubble across it. The bow-like mouth curled up into his signature smirk that you've grown so accustomed to. Down his thick neck and broad shoulders to the smattering of hair you can see peaking through his open jacket that looks two sizes too small. And then there's the hot pants. Hugging every inch of him and you do truly wonder how he got into them and how long it would take to get him out of them. And those thighs. You never really thought much about men's things before, but Taron has the thickest, loveliest thighs you've ever seen on a man. On down to equally impressive calves that disappear into red and blue striped socks followed by the most ridiculous gold-winged platform shoes. But on him, they work. It seems like your appraisal has taken hours, but it's really only been seconds and you clear your throat before he notices you staring. "I was told to bring you these", you say as you cross the room to him and hand him rose-colored star-shaped sunglasses.

"Thanks love", he says casually as he takes them from you and slips them onto his nose. He turns back toward the mirror to adjust them slightly, then turns around and slumps into the chair beside him. "I am so exhausted, he exclaims with a sigh then leans back into the chair stretching one leg out in front of him.

"Oh, ok", you say quickly, "I'll leave you alone then. And you turn to leave.

"No wait", Taron says just as quickly. "Stay and keep me company until the scene." At this point he has rested his head against his right hand that is propped up on the arm of the chair.

"Are you sure?" you ask. You really don't want to bother him.

"Yeah stay", he says lazily pointing toward the couch opposite the chair. "I've only got about five minutes, we can chat." You turn slightly to look at the couch in question, shrug your shoulders, and make your way over to it. You go to sit down, and before your backside has even reached the cushions, you look at Taron and his eyelids are closed.

"Ok then", you mutter to yourself, "nice chatting." Poor guy, you think. He must really need some rest. Not wanting to disturb him by getting back up and leaving, you pull your phone out of your back pocket and start scrolling through Instagram. You don't mind having a few moments to yourself as it is. You are bored after about a minute or so of that, so you glance up at Taron to see if he is still resting. You can see the rhythmic rise and fall of his chest indicating that he must be. He looks so peaceful there, you can't help but feel bad for the guy. You hope the studio isn't working him too hard. You know they will be calling for him at any minute, and suddenly an idea pops into your head. You switch your phone to the camera, center Taron inside the frame, and decide that his eyes really need to be open for this. Without stopping to realize that it's a little cruel to wake him, you say softly, "Taron". His eyelids flutter open and when he sees you aiming the phone at him he gives you an annoyed expression obviously knowing what you're up to. Before he can change his position or say anything, you click the picture.

"What are you doing with that?" he says sounding annoyed to match the expression on his face.

"Nothing", you say with a coy smile and close your phone, the picture tucked safely away in your photo library.

"You are NOT going to post that, right?" he says shifting forward slightly in the chair.

"Of course not", you answer innocently. He narrows his eyes but still hasn't taken them off you. You pause for a beat. "I'm going to set it as your caller ID pic", you say with a playful smile.

"Please don't", he says with no trace of humor in his voice and an exasperated sigh. You can see he's irritated but you're having fun.

"Ok," you reply. He relaxes a little at this. "I'll just set it as my wallpaper." You open your phone to act like you're doing so when all of the sudden, Taron is at his feet. Your fingers freeze hovering over your phone, and you look wide-eyed over the top of it at the man standing before you not five feet away. If you thought he looked impressive before, he looks positively magnificent now, frustration radiating off of him. You don't know him quite well enough to know if he truly is angry with you, or just playing along; but you're a little nervous to find out. Before you can think on it another second, he is lunging at you. You quickly close the phone and shove it down your shirt into your bra, the first place you can think of where he can't get to it. You watch his eyes travel to that spot.

"You think I won't go in there after it?" he asks in a gravelly voice as he closes the distance between you, hands out-stretched toward your chest. You panic and turn around, your back facing him so he can't get to your chest. You wrap your arms protectively around yourself when you suddenly feel strong arms go around your waist and arms, and you are lifted slightly off your feet.

You let out a high-pitched squeal and kicking your feet exclaim, "Taron, let go of me!"

"Nope, not until I get that phone", he says close to your ear. "It's just you and me in here love, no one to hear you screech," he says playfully. His voice is so low and close to your ear, it gives you chills. He somehow manages to turn you around still clutching you with your arms pinned to your sides. With one hand firmly around your back, he reaches the other one back toward your chest to attempt to grab the phone. You manage to get one of your arms free and catch his wrist mid-air before he can dive into the top of your shirt. You can see his face now and see that he's smirking slightly while trying to play it cool. He likes this game.

"Taron, I promise I won't do anything with the pic, it'll be for my enjoyment only," you say defiantly staring into those green depths of his eyes.

"I don't believe you," and he says your name in an even deeper voice which makes your insides burn a little. Especially since his face his mere inches from yours.

"Yes Taron?" you manage to squeak out.

"Give. Me. That. Phone." and he punctuates each word by inching in closer to your face until your noses are practically touching. You are frozen in that spot for a moment, wide-eyed like a deer in headlights only his piercing eyes are the headlights. You snap yourself out of it, take advantage of the stillness, and wrench your other arm free to try and remove his hold on you. You're not exactly sure how it happens, but doing this causes him to lose his balance completely, he trips over those ridiculous shoes, and before you know it, you are both tumbling to the couch behind you, you now clinging to him as a gut reaction to the fall. He lands in a heap on top of you and it knocks the breath completely out of you. You squeeze your eyes shut with the impact. Everything is quiet except for the heavy exhales coming from both of you. His voice breaks the silence. "You ok?" he says with a little laugh to make light of the current situation. Your breathing has turned to quick shallow breaths. You open your eyes to see slightly concerned eyes staring back at you. Concerned for what? That he might really have hurt you or that the situation suddenly turned slightly awkward?

"Yeah, I'm good", you finally breathe out expecting him to make the move to get off of you. But he doesn't. Your palms are pressed firmly against his bare chest lifting him off you slightly. The warmth radiating from his body is searing into your hands and you can feel the faint sensation of his heart beat. His hands are splayed against your back against the couch, in an attempt to grab onto you as you both fell. His face is so close you can feel his warm breath on your check. You can see his prickly stubble so clearly and you feel the urge to reach up and run your fingers over it. You are both still slightly out of breath. His gaze travels from your eyes down to your mouth and you involuntarily lick your lips in response. He shifts slightly and you are suddenly very aware of the thin layer of shiny fabric that is separating his body from yours. His hooded eyes flick back up to yours and when he says your name so quietly it's almost a whisper, your breath catches. You repeat his name in much the same way. His eyes are back on your lips. Your eyes begin to flutter closed as you tilt your head up. Suddenly, there is a very loud and obnoxious knock at the dressing room door. You both jump slightly.

"Taron! You're on!" the voice booms from the other side.

Taron lifts his head toward the door and says with a sigh, "Thank you", a little louder than you think is necessary. He clambers off you, straightening his jacket as he stands. You wonder if he's going to say anything before he leaves. You sit up on the couch but don't stand as you feel your chest to see if the phone is still there. It is. It's at this moment that you realize how hard your heart is beating. You watch him out of the corner of your eye as he smooths his hair and walks toward the door. You glance down to the floor, notice something and pick it up.

"Taron?" you say hesitantly as he is reaching for the doorknob. He slowly turns around and looks expectantly at you but doesn't say anything. His eyebrows raise slightly in an expression of... hope...? You're not sure. You stand and walk slowly over to him. He follows your every move so deliberately and intently. "Don't forget these", you say as you hold out the sunglasses that fell off his face during the struggle. He still just looks at you, so you open them up, move closer to him, and slip them onto his nose and over his ears. You resist touching his face, and instead drop your hands to your sides and look into his eyes a moment longer which are boring into you through the tinted shades. The silence between you is deafening.

"Thank you", he finally says softly with almost a hint of sadness you think. But maybe you're just imagining it. He then turns without another glance or word, walks out the door and shuts it softly behind him. You stare after the door for what seems like ages.

"What the hell just happened?" you say out loud to the empty room.


	2. The First Meeting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The first time you met Taron Egerton on the set of Rocketman.

That day in his trailer is the moment that you finally admit to yourself that you have feelings for Taron Egerton. If you're being honest, you know you've had them pretty much all along. You just didn't want to believe it. He's a rising movie star after all. When this film is done, he will be out of your life forever, right?

You know you should probably leave his dressing room, but you feel rooted to this place for some reason. Not able to bring yourself to leave just yet, you go back to the couch, sit down and rest your head against the back of it. You close your eyes and let your mind wander to the first time you ever saw Taron Egerton.

Three months earlier:

You had only just graduated from Cosmetology school in LA. You didn't even have a job lined up when your best friend Lisa suggested you take a spur-of-the-moment backpacking trip to Europe after graduation. Could she be more cliche? You had never done anything spur-of-the-moment in your life. Unless you count dropping out of UCLA after three years to register for Cosmetology school three weeks before the start date. All you knew was that hair and make-up design was a passion of yours and had been since you were thirteen. Your parents wanted you to go to UCLA because it was a "real school" and you could then get a "real job". But what was the fun in that? Someone once told you that if you do what you love, then you never work a day in your life. Or something like that. But it stuck, and you couldn't shake the feeling that if you didn't try, you'd always wonder. So you tried, you loved every minute of it, and you decided you'd figure out the rest later.

So there you were, looking online for possible make-up artistry jobs, when Lisa burst through your door exclaiming that she'd just had the bright idea to go to Europe before you both had to settle into your careers. You had looked at her like she had lobsters crawling out of her ears, but two weeks later, she had you convinced.

Now that you're here in Europe, you can't believe you ever questioned coming. You've already visited Spain, Rome and Paris and your last stop is London. You and Lisa love how you can travel so easily by train in this part of the world. Luckily, you don't need to worry too much about money since Lisa is the product of a very handsome inheritance. You've had the privilege of staying at some pretty swanky places along your stops, not bad for a couple of 24 year olds traveling through some of the most phenomenal places you've ever seen.

But London is different. It isn't at all what you'd expected, although you aren't even sure what you had expected. It has such an other-worldly feel to it, and you and Lisa decide to switch things up and stay at an old Bed and Breakfast you happen to stumble across in a little town called Berkshire. It's quaint and cozy and in desperate need of a new paint job. But it smells nice and the decor makes you feel like you've just stepped into a Jane Austen novel. Your first morning here, Lisa decides to sleep in having been traveling non-stop for almost two weeks, but you are too famished to sleep. So you get dressed, and make your way downstairs to breakfast with the other guests. There are actually only three other people staying here. An older couple traveling through Europe much the way you and Lisa are, and a young film student by the name of Colin. The owner of the B&B, an elderly woman named Julia, filled you both in about your fellow roomies the previous night as you were checking in. The name of the couple however escapes you at the moment. Colin and the couple are already engrossed in conversation and you feel a little sheepish walking in apparently late for breakfast. All three heads swivel up to face you as you enter the room. "Good morning", you squeak out softly. All of them smile politely at you and say good morning back in unison as you take a seat in an empty chair. Almost immediately, Julia comes bustling in with a plate filled with sausages, eggs and dry toast. And coffee, thank the lord. Your eyes widen greedily as you thank her and start to dig in to your breakfast.

"So," Colin says breaking the silence that has descended upon your arrival. "You're the American", he says pointedly with a crooked smile. You are still amazed after two weeks that that's basically what you are defined as in the eyes of everyone here.

"Yep, that's me", you say in true American style around a mouthful of toast. The three of you talk lightly for the remainder of breakfast with little anecdotes and simple questions directed at you. You answer sweetly, rather enjoying the simple discussion. You ask them about their travels and the purpose of Colin's stay here at the B&B. You learn that he is to begin working on a new movie that will be filming in a few weeks near here at Bray Studios. You listen intently about his work that he and his fellow schoolmates will be participating in for this major production about the life and works of none other than Sir Elton John himself. You have to admit, you are impressed that the students are able to be involved in such an amazing experience. The two of you continue talking long after breakfast has ended and the older couple has moved on. You have told him all about your experiences in Cosmetology school, traveling to Europe and wondering what you'll do when you return home. He has a charming way about him and he listens to and asks questions about you. You get the feeling that he is flirting with you somewhat, although it's harmless enough. After what seems like hours, Colin finally looks at his watch and announces that he needs to leave to meet with a fellow student at the studio for a tour. You shake his hand and tell him it was nice chatting with him, then head back up to your room to see if Lisa has joined the living yet. She has, and you decide to take a picnic lunch to Hyde Park and check out some of the London sights.

After three days of seeing everything you can squeeze into them, you are exhausted again and back at the B&B ready for a quiet night in. You and Lisa had a little too much wine and cheese today, and you both stumble through the front door to find Julia there waiting for you.

"There you are dearies!" she exclaims when she sees you. I have a message for you she drawls in her sweet little accent. She hands you a piece of paper saying, "That young chap that was staying here...the student...Colin I think?" You giggle under your breath as you are reading the card with his name clearly typed on it.

"Yes?" you prompt.

"Well, he gave me his card and asked for you to give him a ring." Oh here we go, you think. You're honestly surprised he didn't ask you out when you talked the other day, the way he was flirting.

"Ok, thank you Julia", you say politely and head up the stairs giggling with Lisa all the way up. You had filled her in already about your conversation with Colin. He was cute after all, but more in a brotherly way, and you're heading back home in a few days. But out of kindness, you give him a call anyway. He picks up on the first ring.

"Hi, um Colin? It's me...you tell him your name." There is a brief pause on the other end.

"Oh, yes! Oh good, I'm glad you called back. Look, I'm about to go into class, but I was talking to some of my professors and they were saying how the studio is looking for make-up crew for the film I'm working on. Remember? The Elton John one?" He doesn't let you answer. "Anyway, of course I thought of you and told them I'd give you the info. There's an open interview tomorrow at 9 am. I'll text you the address. You don't have to go but they need people right away so I told them I'd tell you. Ok? So anyway, I'll text you the info, let me know if you think you'll go. I've got to go, class is starting!" You hear silence on the other end and the beeping of your phone signaling the call is over. You look at your phone questionably expecting it to explain what just happened. So many questions are filling your head, you don't even know which one to ask first. Before you can say anything, the text with an address flashes across your screen. You click on it and see that it's the studio he mentioned before and according to your map it's about 10 minutes away.

"What the?? What?" You say out loud. Lisa looks up from the magazine she's flipping through.

"What was that about?" she asks.

"You know, I'm not quite sure. Something about that movie that Colin is doing and they need make-up artists? He sent me the address and said there's an open interview tomorrow..."

"Oh my God!" she exclaims cutting you off as she hops off the bed. "Are you going to go? that would be so cool, but could you do it? How long would it take? Would you stay here? Your first job!" All of her sentences are coming out in a stream and you can't get in a word between them.

"Lisa, we're going home day after tomorrow! I can't do this...can I?" you ask more to yourself than to her.

"Well, why not?! It's not like you have a job back home. At least just go to the interview and check it out!"

"Yeah, I guess there's no harm in that. But oh my God, I haven't had ONE job, and now I'm going to go work on an actual movie with actors and directors and stuff??"

"Well, just take one thing at a time, go to the interview tomorrow, and then just go from there. You are an amazing artist, they would be lucky to have you", she says taking your hands in hers. You look up into her sweet face. You don't know if it's being here, or the warm buzzing sensation from the alcohol, or the fact that your bestie is being so supportive, or if you're just truly excited about the prospect. But you decide to put your reservations aside for now.

"Ok, I'll do it!" you say and you both squeal together and collapse onto the bed laughing.

The next morning is a different story. You feel sick to your stomach as you descend the stairs, especially when the smell of the cooking breakfast hits your nostrils. You sneak out the front door before Julia can see you and set off on foot to the studio. It takes you about 25 minutes to reach the location and you are hot and tired by the time you get there. Why didn't you splurge for a taxi? The text that Colin sent you had the name of the lead make-up artist that you were supposed to meet with. Lizzie Yianni Georgiou. Sounds so eccentric. You're not even sure where you're supposed to go so you wander around until you see a guard shack near a metal entrance gate. Looks like a good place to start you think. You walk up to the shack, phone in hand so you can say the name correctly, and the guard looks up at you over a monitor that he's staring at. He doesn't say anything so you speak first. "Hi, I'm here to see..." you glance down at your phone. "Lizzie Georgiou?" You're almost positive you butchered her name, but he looks at you, then reaches for a phone nearby and pushes a button.

After a beat, he says, "Yeah, there's a...." he looks back up at you waiting and you quickly say your name and why you're there. He repeats it into the phone, listens on the other end, then puts it back on the receiver and grabs something. He walks out of his little shack and passes a wand over your body and bag that you have slung over your shoulder apparently checking for what? Weapons? You stand there awkwardly waiting for him to finish. When he seems satisfied that you aren't packing, he steps back inside the shack and pushes a button that opens the gate. "Second trailer on the right", he says pointing beyond the gate without looking at you again.

"Thank you", you mumble then proceed through the gate. You pass the first trailer on the right, then spot the second much larger trailer just beyond it. You slip your phone into your bag, take a deep breath and walk up the steps to the door. You're not sure if you should knock or just walk in, but before you can give it another thought, the door bursts open and you are met with a blur of orange spandex and thousands of sparkly crystal flames. Your face is level with his chest since you are a step down from the doorway and you sway backward just a little as to not run smack into him. His hand reaches out to steady you by your arm and you tilt your head up to see what/who this is standing in front of you. Your gaze travels from his chest, to his neck, to his face and head which is also covered in orange crystals and...horns? Then your eyes land on heart-shaped glasses over the greenest pair of eyes you think you've ever seen. What in the world is he supposed to be?? You get the feeling you should probably say something soon. "I'm uh, looking for Lizzie? Mrs. Georgiou? I mean...?" Geez, why do you sound like this is the first time you've ever spoken to a person? He flashes you a quick grin then extends his free arm toward the doorway.

"Right in here, love", he says in a thick English accent. He still has his hand on your arm and he places his other hand on your other arm to carefully move past you on the tiny stairs. He finally lets go of you and then he's gone, as quickly as he appeared. You turn to watch him go in all his orange-sequined glory. You wonder if he might glance back your way, but he doesn't. So you square your shoulders, take another deep breath and step inside the trailer.


	3. A New Job

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You learn what it's like to work with Taron.

You enter the trailer and see three people hovered around a table with hundreds of bottles of make-up, lipstick tubes, shadows, blushes, and all sorts of other types of cosmetic paraphernalia. It's basically a make-up artist's dream. No one seems to notice your presence so you clear your throat to announce yourself. A pretty woman with shoulder-length brown hair that looks to be in her late 40's or early 50's looks over at you but says nothing.

"Hello," you say nervously. You introduce yourself and tell her that you're here for the make-up artist interview.

"Ah, come, come." She says as she waves you over to where the three people are standing all now staring at you. "I'm Lizzie, this is Bruce and Olivia my assistants." They give you a curt nod, then leave to busy themselves with other tasks. "Your name? Do you have a portfolio I can see?" She asks and your heart stills.

You tell her your name then apologize, "Um, no, sorry. I wasn't expecting to have this interview. I'm on vacation from America." You notice the slight disappointment flash across her face. "But, I do have some pictures of my work on my phone", you say excitedly as your pull the device out. You open up the camera and find the pictures of the work you've done over the past year on fellow students, and even some actors you worked on at the local film school and community theaters. She pulls readers off her head where they are perched and places them on her face, takes your phone out of your hands and begins flipping through the 15-20 pictures. She doesn't say anything right away so you just watch her expression intently.

Finally she says, "Very nice. But you've never worked on an actual film?" She says looking at you over the top of her glasses.

"No m'am. But I'm a fast learner and am always up for a challenge", you say in your best interview voice.

"Hmm," is all she says. She hands you back your phone and then rattles off a lot of information regarding filming schedules, anticipated hours, the basic and not so basic duties and that they are desperately needing a few more artists. She explains that there are a handful of lead actors and several extras which is who you would primarily be working on. You are fine with this as you're not sure you would want to be responsible for the leads on your first major job. After she is done giving you way more information than you really needed or wanted to know, she sighs. "Well, I really need to see your work first hand if I'm to make a decision." You are nodding your head not really knowing what to say to this, when all of the sudden the man in the orange jumpsuit comes bursting through the door again. Wow, he really knows how to make an entrance. He glances around the room, then heads toward a clothing rack where he removes his jacket and hangs it on a hanger. You feel like you're in a trance staring at him, but he has a very commanding presence. "Back so soon? How did the fitting go?" Lizzie directs her question at the young man.

"Good", he responds heading in your direction. "Dex wants to go a little older on the make-up though for some test shots", he says looking at her. He has yet to look at you although you think he must feel your eyes on him.

"Well, perfect timing", Lizzie says as she swivels her head back to you. "This is Mr. Egerton, make him look older, yes? Use anything you need, I'll be back in 30 minutes." With that she moves swiftly away, murmurs something to Olivia and Bruce, and all three exit the trailer leaving you alone with him. You watch them go, then snap your head back to him. He's finally looking at you now you with an expectant look on his face, eyebrows raised.

"Well, ok...I guess we're doing this", you say more to yourself than to him. "Have a seat...Mr. Egerton, is it?"

"Well, Mr. Egerton is my dad. Call me Taron". He says as he sits in the chair beside you. He stretches out long legs in front of him and crosses his hands in his lap.

"Oh, ok", you say sheepishly. May I take your, um, head piece?" You say reaching out. He smirks then unfastens it at his chin and hands it over to you. You place it on a mannequin head on the table behind you. "So, do you know how much older we're talking Mr...I mean, Taron?" You ask. You wonder when your voice is going to stop sounding so squeaky.

"Oh, I'd say mid 40's?" He responds. Ok, you think. This shouldn't be too hard, right? You've done aging make-up on people before, and a lot older than 40. Then why are your hands shaking? You're not even sure you want this job, so why do you feel so sweaty? "Hey", he says placing his hand on your arm apparently noticing your impending panic attack. "You're going to be fine", and he flashes you a quick smile with perfect white teeth. This seems to relax you just a little. You take a deep breath, force yourself to calm down, and then focus on his face to decide your best course of action. He watches you as you let your gaze travel over his features. You take in bright green eyes, arched eyebrows, a few natural creases around his eyes and mouth, an extremely prominent jaw line, and a slight speckling of stubble. You used to feel odd studying a person's face like this, but after doing it for a year, it's become just part of your job.

"How old are you, if you don't mind me asking?" You ask him.

"Not at all, I'll be 29 in a few months", he responds. You nod your head, then turn to the bottles, containers and brushes on the table. You select a few then go to work on adding lines and shadows that seem appropriate for the age they are going for. "By the way", he says as you are working around his eyes, "I never caught your name."

"Oh...", you say distracted by your work.

You mumble your name and ask him to close his eyes. He obeys and replies with, "It's nice to meet you".

"Yes, you too", you say rushed, completely focused now on the task of aging this man 15 years. As an after thought, you realize you might be coming across as rude, so you make an attempt at conversation. "So Taron, who do you play in this movie?" you ask. He opens his eyes, looks up at you and laughs. This causes you to stop what you're doing, brush in mid-stroke, and stare at him. "What?" you ask dumbfounded.

"Oh, I thought that was a joke...you know...because of my costume." You continue to stare and scrunch your brows at him. When he sees your obvious confusion, he replies with a straight face, "I play Elton John." You close your eyes and smack your heel to your forehead, make-up brush still poised between your fingers.

"Oh my God, I'm such an idiot", you say mortified. "I'm sorry, I should have known. Geez you must think I'm a complete moron." He is laughing again at this. It's a cute, high-pitched sound that gives you a warm feeling in your stomach.

"No, of course I don't", he says smiling widely and you notice a little gap in the left side of his teeth. Not so perfect then, good. "It's ok, don't worry about it, really."

"Ok", you say relaxing again and getting back to work. "So how did you get this role? Did you audition, or...?" He goes about telling you how he had worked with the producer of the movie on another couple of movies and was recommended for the role. He had sung for the producer, the director and Elton and his partner, and the rest was history. You listen to him tell his story as you work, then regard him curiously. "So, what were the other movies?" You ask. He considers you for a moment before answering.

"Well, the Kingsman movies, and Eddie the Eagle", he says dryly.

"Oh", you say with a shrug and continue to work.

"You haven't seen them I take it?" he asks.

"To be honest, I've never even heard of them." You immediately regret saying this and your hands freeze on his face again.

"Oh, well ok then", he says with a chuckle. Then something passes over his face. "Wait, have you even heard of...me? Not trying to sound full of myself or anything, I'm just genuinely curious." He waits for your answer. You screw your face up a little and bite your lip looking into his eyes.

"Well..." you trail off hoping you don't have to say the actual word. He laughs again. "I'm sorry", you say earnestly. He is still chuckling.

"Stop apologizing. It's ok, really. I think there's probably a lot of people who haven't heard of me", Taron says smiling. "It's not like I'm Hugh Jackman", he says relaxing his head back and closing his eyes again.

"Oh, I love Hugh Jackman!" You exclaim and then curse yourself again when you see his eyes pop open.

"Of course you do", he says wryly. "I did a film with Hugh, of course you'd know that if you'd seen any of my movies", he says with a twinkle in his eye.

"Ok, I promise, as soon as I get back to L.A. I'll watch all of your movies", you say with a grin.

"L.A. huh?" Taron says. "So that's where you're from?"

"Yep, born and raised."

"Ah, I've only been there once. We get to film some scenes there in a few weeks. I'm really excited to see it again", he says happily.

"Really? That is exciting!" He just nods and closes his eyes to let you continue your work. The rest of the make-up session continues in silence as you are checking to make sure you've done everything you can to get the age right. You rub off a little of one crease around his left eye with your thumb, and then feel satisfied that you've done your best. You say as much to Taron. "Well, I think that's about the best I can do", you sigh, setting down the brushes and turning around to look at him in the mirror. "What do you think?" you ask him. He leans forward in his chair and studies his face turning it side to side to catch all the angles. His hesitation starts to make you nervous.

Then, he finds your eyes in the mirror and says, "I think it's brilliant." He grins at you and you can't help but grin back." Although, a little surreal seeing myself age in a matter of minutes."

"Well, I guess that's a good thing. We'll see if Lizzie agrees", you say shrugging.

"I'm sure she will", he replies positively. As if on cue, Lizzie comes breezing through the trailer door with her assistants following behind. She has some papers in her hands, flips through them and then hands them off to Olivia muttering something to her. As if she suddenly remembers, she glances over to you and then swoops over to where you are still standing next to Taron.

"Well, let's have a look shall we?" she says matter-of-factly taking her glasses off her head once more to place them on the bridge of her nose. She looks over Taron's face intently but doesn't say a word. You look wide-eyed at her, then to Taron's face, then back to her. She still hasn't said anything so you look back at Taron with a "help me" expression on your face. He just purses his lips apparently enjoying your anxiety-ridden moment. The look on his face however relaxes you a little and a small smile escapes the corner of your mouth. You cover your mouth to keep from giggling as you engage in a staring contest with him. The silence is finally broken by Lizzie. "Very good", she says clapping her hands once. This makes you jump a little and look over at her. "Be here tomorrow, 9:00 am sharp", and she starts to flit away back toward the door.

"But...", is all you manage to get out.

"Be sure and stop by the HR trailer on your way out to obtain the necessary paperwork and discuss salary", she calls out moving her glasses back to the top of her head. With that, she is gone again with her two lackeys bustling behind her and you can't help but wonder if they always travel as a pack. You stare after her.

"Congratulations!" Taron exclaims standing up.

You look up at him. "Uh, thanks?" you say confused.

"What's wrong?" he asks sincerely.

"Well, I wasn't even sure I wanted to take this job. Now I've got the job and I start tomorrow? I don't even have a place to stay..." You let your voice wander off.

"Oh, well...you should really consider taking the job. I think it would be a great experience for you and I can promise it's going to be a lot of fun", he says reaching around you to grab his headpiece from behind you on the table. Your body stills for a brief second at the closeness of his body to yours. He's a bit taller than you and you swear you can feel the warmth of his body with him this close. "But, either way," he continues, "it was really nice chatting with you and if I don't see you again, good luck with everything", He then extends his right hand to shake yours. You place your hand in his and notice how soft and warm it is.

"Thank you Taron, you too", you say quietly. He releases your hand after a moment, and you watch him turn to walk toward the clothing rack to grab his jacket. He slings it over one shoulder, and starts to walk away from you for the second time today. But this time, just as he reaches the trailer door, he turns his head, finds your eyes, and gives you a killer wink.

He then leaves you standing there in the empty room. You watch the door for what seems like an eternity and then think to yourself, "Now how do I find that HR trailer?"


	4. The Gap

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You help Taron with his teeth gap.

The next two weeks practically fly by. You did end up finding the HR trailer that first day after asking three different people where it was. You filled out what seemed like an ungodly amount of paperwork, discussed salary and benefits, and walked back to the B&B stunned that this was actually happening. You had filled Lisa in on all the pertinent details as she beamed at you from the sofa in the living room of the B&B. You still didn't know what you were going to do about your current living situation, or lack thereof, when Julia happened to walk by and hear what you were talking about with Lisa. She promptly offered you a room in the B&B without giving it a second thought, only asking that you provide your own meals and clean up after yourself. You of course told her you couldn't possibly impose on her like that without paying her something, but in true old-fashioned English hospitality, she had insisted and you had graciously accepted.

You took a cab with Lisa to the airport the next day, cried and hugged her as you said your goodbyes, and then rode back to the B&B feeling lonelier than ever and wondering if you'd made a huge mistake.

Lizzie had emailed your schedule for the next few weeks, and you had gone to the studio dutifully every day except for Sundays, sometimes pulling 10 hour days. 

Now here you are, working on what must one of a hundred extras on this set. The past two weeks have been a blur of costume fittings for the actors, make-up tests, test shots and run-throughs. You have already met almost all the other lead actors, among a few others. Richard who is impossibly attractive, Jamie who is always cracking jokes, and Bryce who is the biggest sweetheart you've met. You haven't really worked much on them, just a few touch ups here and there. You have barely even caught a glimpse of Taron the entire time, he is always so busy. You sometimes notice him from across the set talking to Dex, or see him 100 feet away getting his own make-up done with people buzzing all around him, or occasionally at the craft services table grabbing a snack. But you are so busy yourself, you almost don't even notice that you hardly ever see him. Almost.

Now, as you're working on one of those hundred extras used in a big song and dance number they are about to run, you think back to that first (and only) conversation you had with Taron. You smile a little to yourself as you are applying contour to the pretty young woman sitting before you.

"Penny for your thoughts?" she says bringing you back to the present. You think her name is Katherine, but honestly, you're not quite sure.

"Oh, nothing. Just remembering a funny conversation I had with someone awhile back." you say shrugging it off.

"Do tell!" (Katherine) says.

"Oh, it was a "you kinda had to be there" situation", you reply not really wanting to engage any further. You just want to be done with her so you can visit the restroom and grab some water before you are called on set to do touch ups again. She just shrugs, but soon after, all the extras are called on set so she jumps up and is gone in a matter of seconds. You sigh, and then set your tools down, check to see if you are needed, then head in the direction of the main make-up trailer. The make-up area for these big scenes has been re-located to a large tent outside of the filming area so you have to walk quite a ways away to reach the trailer. You pass by Taron's trailer on your way, noticing the white plastic sign attached to the door with his name printed in black. You glance up at the door wondering if he might be in there, and then decide that of course he isn't. He's back on set probably running through the scene. Why are you so concerned with his whereabouts anyway? You dismiss this question and continue on your journey.

You are so ready for this stage of the process to be done. You and everyone else on set are anxious for filming to begin so everything will just be figured out already and not such trial and error all the time. You finally reach the make-up trailer and wonder how many steps you must be racking up on this set. You enter the empty trailer, visit the restroom, get some water from a nearby cooler, then go to retrieve your phone from your purse that you keep locked up here. You check your email and see that next week's schedule has been sent to you and that, hallelujah, they are going to begin filming next week! You decide to take a moment to check a few more emails and texts, and see that you have one from Lisa. This makes you happy and sad at the same time. Especially when she ends the text with how much she misses you, and a bunch of crying and heart emojis. You are feeling the familiar tug of homesickness when the door suddenly opens behind you and you practically choke on the water you are sipping. You turn on your heel, phone in hand to see Taron standing there and you quickly wipe your mouth. He looks like what you would consider to be a young Elvis or James Dean, with rolled up jeans, a red button up shirt and dark jacket. His hair has been dyed red and he's wearing black rimmed glasses. You've seen him wearing this from across the set numerous times, but this is the first time up close.

"Oh, hi", he says surprised. "It's you." You assume he's forgotten your name.

"Yes, it's me", you reply dryly. "And it's you", you say gesturing at him with your hand. He smiles but his eyes dart around the rest of the expansive room.

"Is Lizzie here?" He says removing his glasses and hanging them on his shirt front. You don't know why but this causes your heart to drop a little.

"No, I think she's working with the extras. There's so many today, I probably need to get back myself..." You say as you start to move past him to the door. As you reach him, he touches you lightly on your arm.

"No wait, maybe you can help me", you look from his hand on your arm up to his shining eyes.

"Help? With what?" you ask curious now.

"Ok, so you know Elton has this gap between his two front teeth?" he says walking toward the make-up chair and pulling something out of his pocket. You follow him absent mind-idly throwing away your cup in a nearby trash can as you go.

"Um, yeah? I think so." You honestly haven't seen a photo of Elton John in quite some time, which is surprising now that you think about it considering what movie you're involved in. Phone still in hand, you pull up Google and type in "Elton John tooth gap". You click on the first picture and see exactly what Taron is referring to. "Ah, yes. I see", you say closing your phone and sliding it into your back pocket.

Taron has now pulled a plastic baggie out of his own pocket and is taking something small and white out of it. You watch him intrigued. "So, they gave me these to wear", and he opens his palm to reveal a small set of fake teeth with a gap in them. He places them in his mouth and smiles for you. "Sthee, they thlook ok ,but Dexth thinksth they make me talkth funny." You stifle a giggle placing your hand over your mouth. He takes them back out. "What? They're not that bad!" he whines.

"Oh my God Taron, yes they are! They're horrible!" you say.

"But they let Rami wear false teeth for BoRap, if he can do it, I know I can." he says defiantly.

You've learned a lot about the biz in your two weeks on set so you actually know what he's talking about now, and that he's referring to the movie about Queen that's about to premiere starring Rami Malek as the band's frontrunner, Freddie Mercury. "But Rami is lip-syncing right? Aren't you actually going to be singing a song or two live? And besides that, you still have to talk. You really do sound terrible with those in!", you exclaim pointing to the prosthetics still clutched in his hands. He looks offended by this and looks down at the teeth. You soften your tone, "Are there any other options? Can they do something in post?" you ask genuinely invested in this dilemma now.

"Well, probably, but I was thinking maybe there was something we could, like, paint on my teeth? Something from the make-up department?" he says looking over your shoulder at the table with all the bottles and containers as if something will magically reveal itself.

"Hmm, well that is interesting", you say placing your hand on your chin thinking. You turn around and scan the table. "I don't see anything here, but maybe..." your voice trails off as you move away from the table and over to a cabinet where things not used very often are stored. You open up the cabinet, not really knowing what you're searching for but certain you'll know it when you see it. "Ah", you say after a few moments closing your hand around a tiny black bottle. You turn abruptly to see that Taron has followed you and is now inches from your face. You place your free hand on his chest to push against him slightly. With your other hand wrapped around the bottle, you point over toward the chair and say, "Go, sit." He swiftly obeys and you begin to twist the cap off as you make your way back to the chair. "Ok, let's see", you say pulling the applicator out of the little bottle of black ink. You're not even sure what this is used for honestly, but you think you've seen it used in areas that tend to be moist like the mouth and nose. You can see Taron watching you intently out of the corner of your eye as you dab the excess off of the little brush that's attached to the top on a paper towel. "Ok, open up", you instruct and he does as he's told. He curls his top lip as far as he can so that you have access to his top teeth, and you hold his lip up with your left thumb while your fingers rest on his forehead for support. You steady your right hand with your heel against his chin and carefully paint the thinnest of lines along the side of his right middle tooth, then repeat on the other side. You are thankful that the applicator has such a thin brush. Once you feel satisfied that you've created a decent line on both sides, you look into his waiting eyes that are still watching you. "Ok, we probably need to let it dry for a few seconds." Considering you still have his lip pulled up and his mouth is in an awkward state, he just mumbles in agreement. He then lets his eyes flutter closed apparently using the opportunity to rest. Poor guy, he's probably so tired from all of this and it's only going to get worse. You take the opportunity to look at the rest of his make-up and hair since you were not the one who applied it. He needs a little more blush you think, and now that you're seeing it up close, you realize that he's actually wearing a ginger wig. You think he looks better with his natural light brown hair than the current red hue, but of course you realize that it's for the part. He's more clean-shaven than he was the last time you saw him, and there are no signs of the aging make-up. You wish you were the one who got to do his make-up and you tell yourself it's because you would do the best job, but is that really the reason? You're not sure you want to dwell on that any longer. "Alright", you finally say a little louder than necessary and his eyes open to look at you. "Try not to touch your teeth with your tongue, I'm not sure how long it will last and it probably tastes bad."

"Yes m'am", he replies and carefully lowers his upper lip as you release it. He smiles into the mirror and his face lights. "That looks amazing!" he beams, then closes and opens his mouth a few times to check the staying power. So far, so good.

"You think Dex will approve?" you ask suddenly hoping you haven't caused a problem by going over the director's head. You've only met him once and he seems to be a kind, down-to-earth guy, but you don't want to over step.

"Only one way to find out", Taron says jumping from the chair and heading toward the door.

"Ok, well, let me know, or if he wants to try something else", you call after him.

"Will do! Thanks!" he says giving you a thumbs up and slipping his glasses back on. With that, he is gone, and you turn to close the top on the bottle and clean up your mess. You should probably get back to the tent to see if you are needed again, but something tells you to stay put. So you stay, but make yourself useful by tidying up the rest of the mess left by the other make-up artists from earlier in the day. You are in the groove of cleaning and not sure how much time has passed when the door to the trailer bursts open again. You know without turning around who it is, Taron just has a way of entering a room. You turn to see him beaming from across the room at you, teeth gap still in place.

"Well?" you ask impatiently when he doesn't say anything. He makes you wait a second longer, still grinning ridiculously. 

"He LOVED it! Thought I was still wearing the fake ones!" he says has he takes four long strides to cross the room to you. Before you realize what is happening, Taron has swooped you up around your waist and is twirling you around. You place your hands on his upper arms to steady yourself and feel your breath escape you in the form of a high-pitched squeal at the sudden impact. Then, just as quickly, you are back on your feet in front of him. "Thank you." And he says your name with such sincerity that you can't help but grin stupidly at him. So he does remember after all. He then places a quick kiss on your left cheek, removes his hands from around your waist, and darts off again. "Must go, I'm meant to be on set. Just wanted to tell you thanks again!"

"You're welcome!" you yell after him as he is already out the door. "Where does he get the energy?" you mumble to yourself. You close the lid tightly on the bottle and retrieve a post-it note and pen from a nearby table. You write the words, "for Taron's teeth", on the note and place it under the bottle so Lizzie, or whoever might be doing his make-up, can find it the next day. After that, you slump down into the chair, touch your cheek where his lips just were, and bask in the moment before returning to the chaos that has become your life.


	5. A Close Shave

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You have to give Taron a shave.

The following week, the arrival time on set is 4:00 pm. The studio gave everyone the weekend off since you were to begin filming this week which was nothing short of lovely. You had used the time to sleep, binge watch Netflix romcoms and then sleep some more. Now you are rested, pumped and ready to begin the exciting process of actually filming a movie! You know you will probably be here late the next several days since they are filming the nighttime dance number first. Your schedule literally says 4:00 pm - ??? So, you are prepared and ready for some late nights with lots of coffee and sleeping in as long as possible.

When you arrive, you complete your usual routine, which is drop your purse off at the main make-up trailer, gather up your daily make-up supplies in a tote, fill your water bottle and then make your way to the large make-up tent located outside the filming area. When you arrive, you look around to find Olivia who is normally who you meet with to get your schedule for the day. You find her among the sea of people after about a minute, and make your way over to her.

"Hi Olivia!" you say in your sweetest sing-song voice. Olivia has never been overly thrilled to talk to you, so you try and insert as much sugar into your voice whenever addressing her. "Do you have my schedule?" you ask cheerily. She glances at you over her clipboard, rifles through the many papers on it, pulls one out and hands it over to you without saying a word. You give her a little smile as you take the paper and look it over. Normally, it has your name at the top, with a list of people's names and their corresponding character that you will be working on that day. So, you are more than a little confused when you read your name at the top, and below that, it simply says:

"Taron Egerton: Elton John"

Taron's name has NEVER been on your list. You have never been assigned to him, not even once. In fact, you've never been assigned to any of the leads, only the extras. The only time you have ever done any work on Taron was the day of your interview and the incident with the teeth, so you decide it has to be a mistake.

Olivia has already turned and is starting to walk away when you call out to her, "Olivia? Wait. I think there's been a mistake? My sheet has Taron, I mean Mr. Egerton's name on it?" She crooks her eyebrow at you and glances over the top of the paper in your hand.

"No, that's correct", she replies blandly tapping the paper with her pen and moves to walk away again.

"But I don't understand, aren't I working with the extras like always?" you say thoroughly confused now.

"All I know is what's written on that paper. You have a problem with it, take it up with Lizzie", she says over her shoulder and leaves you standing there. You sigh, you really don't have time for this. You need to get to work, seeing all the extras standing around, but you go in search of Lizzie. Luckily, she is only a few yards away talking to Bruce. You approach them, paper still in hand and wishing you didn't have to bother them.

"Excuse me? Lizzie?" you ask softly not wanting to interrupt.

She peers at you over those glasses of hers. "Yes? What is it?"

"Well, Olivia just gave me my schedule for today and it only has Mr. Egerton's name on it. I think maybe there was a misprint or something."

She takes the paper out of your hands abruptly and scans it, "No, that's correct. You are with Mr. Egerton", she says and passes the paper back to you. You're starting to wonder if someone is playing a practical joke on you.

"Are you sure? I've been working on the extras for this scene for weeks. I know exactly what they all need..." Your voice trails off and you suddenly feel very small.

She sighs taking her glasses off and rubbing them on her sleeve, "Yes, yes, but Mr. Egerton made the request himself. Now move along, he'll be waiting", she says shooing you away with her hand. With that she and Bruce leave you standing there staring after them still holding up your sad little sheet of paper and feeling more confused than ever.

"Ohhhhhkay", you say to no one as you head back in the same direction you came from to the main make-up trailer since that's where the leads usually have their make-up done. You hesitantly open the door to see Richard and Taron standing by their chairs laughing at something on the phone Richard is holding. You walk toward them feeling a lump in your throat and set your tote down on the table. You don't want to interrupt them but Taron acknowledges you immediately.

"Hey there love!" You smile meekly at him embarrassed for some reason. You still think there's been some sort of mistake and that he will surely laugh at you when you tell him you were sent to do his make-up.

"Hi Taron," you say then glance over at Richard as to not appear rude. Taron follows your eyes.

"Have you two met?" he asks looking between the two of you.

"Yes, we did briefly", Richard drawls in a thick Scottish accent. "But lovely to see you again", he says with a smile that could melt butter.

"You as well". It still surprises you how nice movie stars are. At least these movie stars. You never would've expected it. Of course, you never really gave it much thought before joining this production.

"Well, I better let you get to it", Richard exclaims as he slaps Taron on the back and makes his way to the door.

"See you soon mate", Taron calls after him then turns his attention back to you and smiles sweetly. Your face grows hot and you feel the need to address the elephant in the room.

"So....um, I'm here to do your make-up?" He nods slowly. "Is that right? Or....?"

"Yep, I'm ready!" he says and plops down into the chair.

"So you did request...that I? I mean, that I do your make-up today?" you ask shyly.

"Yep, but not just today. For the rest of the film", he says making himself comfy and acting like this is no big deal. And then, as if it suddenly occurs to him, he quickly looks back up at you, "If that's ok with you?"

"Yeah, but...why?" you stutter.

"I don't know, I just really liked the way you found a solution to the teeth gap problem and so did Dex. And when I asked if it would be a problem to switch, he said he didn't see why not", he replied honestly.

"But it was your idea, Taron. I just found the ink." you say feeling bad for whoever was doing his make-up before. You actually think it was Olivia which is probably why she now hates you.

"Don't sell yourself short. You knew exactly what would work, and you made it happen. That was you, not me. I didn't have clue what to use or if it would even work. You helped work the problem instead of just telling me that it couldn't be done. And I feel comfortable around you, like I can ask your advice on those types of things and you'll actually be able to come up with a real solution."

"I don't know, that might've just been beginner's luck," you say modestly.

"I don't think so, I have a feeling about you. You've got untapped potential. Besides, you have no clue who I am so there's none of that condescending bullshit I get from most people."

This makes you laugh for some reason, "So you like the fact that I have no clue who you are?" you say relaxing a little.

"Yeah, takes the pressure off to be amazing all the time", he says with a smirk.

"Yes, I can imagine that must be exhausting", you retort sarcastically.

"You have no idea", he says with a serious expression but his eyes are shining.

"Sure Taron, whatever you say", you say rolling your eyes and turn to get his notes from a board attached to the wall. You accept that this must be real so you decide to get to work. The make-up artists keep notes on all the cast members so that everyone knows what they need for a particular scene. You glance over it and see that he requires the ginger wig you saw on him last week, basic stage make-up since he's supposed to be around 18 for this scene, and clean-shaven. Relatively easy you think. Except, as you look over the top of the notes, you see that he is most definitely not clean-shaven. He is watching you as you lean in closer to get a better look. "Taron, you're supposed to be clean-shaven for this scene", you say running the back of your knuckles along his jawline.

"Oh yeah, shit I forgot, didn't shave all weekend", he says rubbing the other side of his face with his palm and looking up at you helplessly. You eye him curiously, then glance around the room trying to remember where you saw shaving supplies last week. You leave him sitting there, then go to the same cabinet you found the ink and rummage around in it until you find a package of razors and a can of shaving foam. You return to Taron and hold the items out to him. He looks at them, then back at you with a puzzled look in his eyes.

"What?" you ask him. I know you know how to shave", you say matter-of-factly.

"Well, I've only ever used an electric razor. I'm afraid I'll slice my throat open with one of those things!" he says eyeing the razor cautiously.

"Jesus Taron, you're like a child", you say jokingly and he juts out his bottom lip. For some reason you take pity on the guy. "Ok, come on", you say grabbing him by the wrist and leading him toward the bathroom. "Grab the chair", you say to him over your shoulder. He takes it by one hand and follows you to the bathroom. Luckily, the bathroom is big enough to sit the chair by the sink easily. He sits down, and you tuck a towel into his shirt like a bib. He's wearing a loose tank top, something that can be easily removed, or left on when it's time for costuming that won't mess up his make-up and hair. As you adjust the towel, you can't help but notice the definition in his arms and the light sprinkling of hair poking out of the top of his shirt. But, you quickly dismiss those thoughts and focus on the task before you. It's not the first time you've shaved a man, you've done it several times at school, but you have to admit you're a little nervous at the prospect of shaving Taron. What if you nick their prized star? You don't let him see your concern however, as you deftly open the razor package and fill the sink with water. 

You squeeze some foam into your hand and then rub your palms together to disperse it. Then, you rub your palms onto his jaw and neck spreading the foam around his three day stubble. You look into his eyes and see just a trace of what looks like panic there. "Relax, I know what I'm doing", you say trying to sound reassuring. He lets out the breath he was holding and his shoulders drop a little. You wrap your left hand around the side of his head to keep him steady, then pick up the razor and begin on the left side of his face. Using wide downward strokes, you start near his ear and drag the razor down catching all the little hairs there. The sound is satisfying. You rinse the razor. Then you go to the area just next to his chin and move the razor across and to the other side. Rinse. Then you angle the razor up, and shave under his bottom lip. You can feel his warm breath on your fingertips coming out in little puffs. After rinsing again, you repeat all this on the other side of his face and then move to his upper lip. You move the razor down one side of the delicate area above his lip, then down the other side. You pause for a moment to glance up at his eyes and notice that he's watching you. His eyebrows are slightly scrunched. "You ok?" you ask him.

"Mmm hmm", is his only reply. You take this as a sign to keep working, so you rinse again and then move to his jaw. Taron has one of the most prominent jawlines you have ever seen, so you take extra care around the hard angles so as not to cut him. Moving in a swift motion, you swipe along one side, then the other. Rinse. You tilt his head back slightly with your other hand exposing his neck to you. Angling the razor down, you swipe down the top portion of his neck in three sections going from left to right. Rinse, then repeat on his lower neck using upward motions this time. 

You survey his face and don't see any areas you might've missed, so you rinse the razor one last time then set it down on the sink. You untuck the towel from his shirt, dampen it, then use it to wipe off the excess foam from his face and neck. You toss the towel down, then move to stand between his parted legs. You lean down so that you are level with his face to inspect your work. You want to make sure you got everything since they might be doing close-ups. You run your fingertips over the now smooth skin of his face and neck. It's almost imperceptible, but you think you hear him suck in a breath. You're sure you just imagined it though. He swallows and then says in a low voice, "How is it then?"

"Better, much better", you say looking him directly in the eyes since you are still eye level. You see a small smile pull at the corner of his lips. Your hands are still lightly pressed to his face and you ask, "What?"

"Oh, nothing", he says looking down for a moment then back to your face. And then as if changing his mind, "You have really nice eyes." Now you're the one to swallow as you pull your hands away, straighten up and busy yourself with the shaving supplies.

"Thank you", you mutter quietly not looking at him. Before he can say anything else, you change the subject. "So! Your homework," you say pausing, "is to learn how to use one of these!" And you hold the razor up to him.

"Yes m'am", he says giving you a little salute. "I will never put you through the trauma of shaving me again", he says grinning up at you.

You smile back, "Well, it wasn't that traumatic. I was a little worried about nicking that perfect jaw of yours though".

Ugh, why did you just say that??

"Perfect huh?" He says standing and flashing you a killer grin with dimples and everything. You feel your insides do a somersault.

What the hell?

"Don't let it go to your head", you say patting his now silky cheek hopefully playing it off.

"I'll try not to", he says, then takes your hand from his cheek and presses a light kiss to the back of your knuckles keeping his eyes locked on yours.

Holy hell.

He then lifts the chair and drags it out of the room. You just shake your head, trying to clear it more than anything else, gather up the shaving supplies and follow him out.


	6. The Disappointment

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Taron comforts you as you deal with a big disappointment.

The next few days carry out in pretty much the same way. 4:00 pm arrival time, get Taron ready for the Saturday Night scene, wait just off set for him to do touch-ups as they are filming, un-do everything that was done after filming, then roll out of there around 2:00 am every morning. You have practically become an expert at fitting him with the wig, applying his make-up and getting the tooth gap perfect every time; and then taking it all of again. And, Taron has been clean shaven for you every single day. You are thankful you can sleep in each morning as you would definitely be a zombie if you had to rise any earlier than noon, but you know it will be hard to get back on a normal sleep schedule when this particular phase of filming is done. Which is hopefully soon.

You and Taron have had several interesting chats since you began working on him. What else is there to do while sitting in a make-up chair for two hours a day? Plus, Taron likes to talk, a lot. So most of what you've discussed has been about him. Not that he hasn't asked things about you. You are more of a reserved person until you really get to know someone, so you keep your answers short and brief. You've told him how you happened upon the job, how you are staying at a nearby B&B, and how much you miss L.A. However, you've learned ALL about Taron's family; his mom, little sisters and step-dad. You've learned more than you ever needed to know about his past movies and swore once again you'd watch them when you had time. You also know that he has a new movie premiering soon, Robin Hood, in which he has told you all about the process of becoming a skilled archer. He told you about growing up in Wales and the impossibly hard to pronounce town he comes from. He had even pronounced it for you five times, but to you it just sounded like a bizarre sneeze or cough, or combination of both. He explained about meeting Elton and spending time with him before filming began; and all the time he'd spent in the recording studio recording all the songs for the movie and the countless hours he'd spent getting them just right. You had enjoyed your little chats with Taron, even looked forward to them each day, and wondered what crazy things he would tell you about.

Now, here you are on day four, and hopefully the last day of filming the carnival scene, when you get a call from Lisa just before heading out to the studio for the day.

"Lisa! Hi, I'm just on my way out, what's up?" You say grabbing your purse and coffee-to-go and balancing the phone on your ear.

"Hey girl! Just wanted to check in! Sorry, I forgot about the time difference and just assumed you be rolling out of bed!" Lisa says with that bubbly voice that always makes you smile.

"Well, actually, I'd still be sleeping probably! You are eight hours behind me sweetie, and I've been working late", you say with a smile. "And speaking of, what are you doing up so early?" You wonder as you calculate the time difference in your head.

"Well...." she draws out the word. I got a new job and I'm out the door myself!" You can hear her beaming over the phone.

"Oh, Lisa! Really?!? What is it?" You say as you fumble with the key in the old lock of the B&B door.

"I'm a receptionist at a fashion mag! I can't tell you which one yet, it's not officially official, but I start today and I cannot wait!"

"Oh Lisa, I'm so happy for you! Crap, my taxi is here", you say finally getting the door locked behind you and seeing the vehicle parked in the drive.

"Ok, well I have to go too, but I have something even bigger to tell you, but I want it to be a surprise when you come back home in a few weeks. When ARE you coming back by the way?" she asks. You remember briefly you had mentioned to her a few weeks back that you would be coming home soon for some scenes they were filming in L.A.

This is a good question you think. Taron had mentioned going to L.A. to film that first day you met him, and the lady at HR had mentioned it as well when you were signing liability paperwork, but you haven't heard anything about it since. It should be soon right? You've actually been really looking forward to going home, if even for a few weeks. Your mom has been asking since you got the job and you just keep telling her she'll know when you know. There's been no good time to ask about it, but now that you think about it, you really should find out. There are arrangements to be made and you'll need to let Julia know.

"I'm not sure, but I'll find out today. I can't wait to see you and my family and be back home! I've really missed it, and you all...so much. I miss the sun!" There's that tug again, you haven't had much time to think about home, but when it hits you, it hits hard.

"Ok, well let me know. I cannot wait to hug your face! Gotta go! Hugs, kisses, love you and all that!" she practically yells into the phone.

"Love you too Lis", you say sounding a little more down than you wanted to.

"I'll see you soon", she says sincerely. Then she hangs up the phone and you step into the waiting cab.

The conversation with Lisa has put you in a somewhat melancholy mood when you arrive on set, but you think finding out when you're going home will help. So you make your way to the production trailer before going anywhere else. You knock timidly at the door then creak the door open as a voice inside calls, "Come in."

There is a pretty receptionist sitting at a desk which you find odd since there are no other offices in the trailer. She peers up at you.

"Yes, may I help you?" she asks politely looking up from a stack of papers on the desk.

"Yes, I'm one of the make-up artists and I was just wondering if you knew when we'd be going to L.A. for filming. I assume, as Mr. Egerton's lead make-up person, that I will be going. I need to let my family know and make arrangements and..."

She cuts you off, "Oh, did no one tell you? They cut the L.A. location. Not in the budget. They've decided to re-create the L.A. scenes here", she says then looks back down at the papers in front of her.

You are more than a little surprised at this. "Oh. Are you sure? Because I was told we would be going soon", you pause thinking this through. "So we're not going at all?" You notice a slight whine to your voice and cringe.

"Nope, they began building the L.A. scenery months ago. It's about a mile west of here", she says pointing in that general direction with a pen. She pauses for a moment looking at you to see if you have anything else to say. "Is that it?"

"Yeah...I guess it is. Thank you", and you turn without waiting for a reply and exit the trailer. You feel like your puppy has just died. All of this work, all the late nights, everything you've been thrown at over the last few weeks were all worth it because you thought you'd get to go home for just a little while. Sure, you'd still be busy on set but at least you could go HOME after a long day of work. You could have a home-cooked meal, sleep in your own bed, hug your mom. Yes, you are a 24 year old woman, but you've never been away from home for this long and it is starting to wear on you. How are you going to endure another 4 or 5 months, or more?? These are the thoughts you're thinking when you step into the main make-up trailer. Purse in one hand, coffee in the other, you just stop inside the doorway and stare straight ahead. You can see Taron sitting in his chair facing away from you, head is down, presumably looking at his phone. You don't know if he senses your presence or has heard the door open, but he slowly turns around and sees you standing there. The smile on his face disappears when he sees what can only be a look of despair on your face.

He jumps up immediately and paces over to you. "What's wrong?" he says searching your eyes. You glance up at him.

"We aren't going to L.A." you say stoically looking somewhere near his chest and feeling as if you are in a trance.

"Oh fuck, did no one tell you?" he says earnestly. You've grown accustomed to Taron's swearing so this expletive barely phases you.

"No one tells me anything", you say with a humorless laugh and look up into his concerned eyes. "I guess someone like me doesn't really matter much around here", you say pathetically looking down at the ground.

"Hey", he says tilting your chin up to look back up at him. "I don't want to hear you say anything like that again. YOU DEFINITELY MATTER", he says piercing your eyes with his intense gaze. 

When all you do is shrug, he takes your coffee and purse you are still holding, sets them on a nearby counter, and leads you to a little sofa along one wall of the trailer. You both sit and you realize you are being a little theatrical, but you really were so looking forward to seeing your loved ones back home. Your mother will be crushed.

"I'm sorry", he finally says, and he says it so genuinely as he places a hand on your shoulder.

"It's not your fault", you tell him. "I'm not trying to be a baby about this. I guess I'm just really homesick. More than I realized. I've been away from home for almost two months now. And I don't know anyone here..."

"You know me", he says softly. "But I know it's not the same and that L.A. is home for you. I'm sure you were probably really looking forward to going back for a bit. I was looking forward to it too. I can't imagine what this must be like for you. To be here all alone, working so hard, putting up with a little shit like me all day", he says with a crooked grin. You manage to crack a tiny smile and his grin widens.

"You're a lot of things Taron, but a little shit is not one of them. At least not that I've seen."

"Well, according to Elton I am." At your questioning look he follows up with, "But that's a story for another time. But seriously, is there anything I can do to make it better?"

You consider this for a moment, "Well, you could hurry up and finish this friggin scene so I can go to bed at a normal time", you say half jokingly.

"I'll see what I can do", he says taking your hand in his. For some reason, the contact makes you even more sad. Maybe because it's been so long since you've had normal human contact other than touching faces and hair all day. Maybe it's because the weight of everything that's transpired in the last few weeks is finally hitting you. Maybe it's because now you truly have no idea when you'll be home again. But whatever the reason is, you feel your eyes begin to well up and you are suddenly horrified. No, you are definitely not going to cry in front of Taron Egerton. Not today Satan. You clear your throat and start to pull your hand away but it's too late. He's seen the look on your face. "Hey, it's going to be ok. I promise," he says as he goes to put his arms around you in an embrace. You feel your body stiffen awkwardly. Should you be hugging him when anyone could just walk in at any moment? Words and phrases like "fraternizing" and "getting involved with the actors" from the contracts you signed float through your mind as he pulls you in. But, you know Taron is a very affectionate guy as you've seen him hug and kiss practically everyone on set numerous times, so you know this means nothing. So you decide to relax a little and allow yourself to be comforted for just a moment. You slip your arms around his neck as he rocks you gently. His body is warm and soft and you can't help but breathe in the scent from his neck. It's a mixture of soap, mint and shaving foam. Good boy. His hand moves in slow circles around your back and you find yourself fully giving into the moment. You close your eyes and tighten your hold on him just a bit. You feel him sigh into you as he pulls you a little closer. You know you should probably pull away, but you just can't bring yourself to do it. After a few moments, you realize you're going to need to be the one to break contact first before it becomes awkward. You release your arms from around his neck and rest your palms on his chest, which seems to be rising and falling at a slightly quicker pace than usual. You look up into his eyes and they are dark and heavy with, what? Empathy? Sadness? You're not sure.

"Thank you", is all you can manage to say.

"For what?" he asks in almost a whisper.

"For listening, it really means a lot", you answer as you pat him lightly on his chest over his thin t-shirt.

"Anytime. I mean that", he replies. Then taking your face in his hands, he leans in and your heart stops, eyes widening. But before you have time to panic, he tilts your head down slightly and gently kisses your forehead at your hairline. You smile up at him. So affectionate. But you're starting not to mind so much.

"Ok", you announce taking his palms from your face and setting them in his lap. Enough feeling sorry for myself. I guess we need to get to work. Time to make you beautiful!" you say playfully breaking the somber mood as you scoot up from the sofa and grab your things from the counter where he sat them.

"Hey, what exactly are you trying to say there, missy?" Taron says pretending to be offended and standing himself.

"Well, not to be rude, but let's just say I think the hours are getting to you too. I keep having to do more layers of concealer under your eyes."

"You're right, I haven't really been sleeping well", he says looking into a nearby mirror and covering his face. "Don't look at me, I'm hideous!" he says with a laugh.

"No, not hideous", you say uncovering his face and running your thumbs along the circles under his eyes. "Just pointing out that you need me", you say with a small smile and lead him over to the chair.

He mutters something under his breath behind you that sounds like, "More than you know". But you don't ask him to repeat it. You just smile a little at yourself as he sits himself down. You do actually feel a little better, for now. Then you get to work making him beautiful, as if he needs any help from you.


	7. The Troubadour

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Taron takes you on a field trip to the Troubadour.

It only takes them five hours to finish the carnival scene which is a welcome change from the usual eight. Everyone on set whoops and cheers when Dexter yells cut on the final take, and you can't help but feel a sense of pride even though you had little to do with the accomplishment. You are waiting in your usual area just off set for Taron as you always do, ready for a towel and water for him at the end of the takes. Then you normally meet back up at the trailer after he has gotten out of costume. But this time, after cut is yelled, he has disappeared into the mass of people and you have yet to see him make his way over to you. You are scanning the crowd as they begin to disperse in different directions and wondering what could have happened to him. You assume that maybe he's discussing something with Dex, so after about fifteen minutes, you decide to head back alone. He will find you eventually. You think maybe you will find him waiting for you in the trailer, maybe having missed each other, but he still isn't there when you arrive. So, you begin to put your supplies away and clean up the counters. After another fifteen minutes or so, and with increasing annoyance from you, you reach for your phone to text him. The two of you had exchanged numbers when you knew you'd be his lead make-up artists for these sorts of circumstances, but you hadn't had a reason to text him as of yet. Just as you find his name in your contacts, he finally comes through the door.

"Where have you been?" I waited on-set but you never came", you ask him tiredly. You are so ready to be home. Well, not exactly home, but the B&B and the comfort it holds.

"Sorry love, had to take care of a few things." You wait for further explanation but when none comes, you usher him over to the chair.

"Well, come on then. Let's get you out of that stuff so we can go home!" You exclaim trying to keep the irritation out of your voice as much as possible.

"Ok," he says walking toward the chair, "But we can't go home just yet", he says falling into it.

Really??

"Why? Does Dex have notes?" You ask him feeling exhausted.

"No, I have a surprise for you", he says eyes twinkling.

At this, you abruptly look down at him suspiciously. "A surprise? What it is?"

"Well if I told you, it wouldn't be a surprise would it?" He says grinning up at you. Normally you are ok with Taron's antics, but tonight you really just want to crawl into your bed and stay there for at least twelve hours. The studio has given everyone the next day off to recover from the past week and get re-energized for a new one.

You let out a heavy sigh and try not to sound too whiny as you tell him just that. "Taron, I just want to go to sleep!"

"I know, and you will. Later. This will be worth it, I promise." And he freaking winks at you. You have a hard time not giving in to him when he winks, which seems to be often. But you don't want him to know that.

"Fine, you wash your face then", you say shoving a make-up wipe at him as you go to work removing his wig. He does so, and thirty minutes later, the process of de-Elton'ing him is complete. "Ok, what is this big surprise?" You ask sighing again.

"It's out there", he says motioning toward the door as he leaps from the chair and grabs a button down short sleeve shirt from the clothing rack. He slips it over his t-shirt but doesn't bother to button it.

"Should I bring my things?" You call after him as he is already bounding down the stairs. You think he must have five energy drinks before he comes to the studio each day.

"Nope! We'll get them later!" He calls back. You follow him out the door and down the steps not knowing what to expect, when you see him standing proudly next to a golf cart. Hands on hips and a stupid grin on his charming face. He has one foot propped on the bottom of the cart and you think you would feel annoyed if he weren't so endearing standing there like that.

"Is this the surprise?" You say stopping in your tracks. "You know I've actually seen one of these before Taron", you say sarcastically.

"Don't get smart with me", he teases. "Get in", he commands as he climbs into the driver side and turns the key. You reluctantly climb in next to him wondering what the heck he's up to now. You look around as he starts it up and you're amazed at how much the set has cleared out since you left it. It's eerily quiet and dark out here as the cart picks up speed and drives along silently...where?

"Taron, where exactly are we going?" You ask knowing you probably won't get an answer.

"You'll see", he says staring straight ahead concentrating on the road. You roll your eyes and finally decide to give in to whatever this is, and lean back in the seat just happy you're not working tomorrow. The two of you don't talk much, in fact you don't talk at all. You are actually just enjoying the silence and the warm summer night breeze on your face as you bump along quietly in the dark. You peer out from under the canopy to see a few stars dotted across the sky and you smile slightly to yourself. You're always so busy, who has time to look at the stars. Of course, you never can actually see any stars in L.A. so this is a treat in itself.

After a mile or so, Taron turns a corner and you start to see what looks like an old city street come into view. It's so dark with only the full moon illuminating the surroundings so it's difficult to comprehend exactly what it is you're seeing. As you get a little closer, you can just make out a street with a shopping strip of sorts, complete with what looks like quaint little stores on each side of the road with a sidewalk running the length of both sides. The street seems to go on for two or three blocks, and as you look up, palm trees are lining either side of it all the way down. There are several lamp posts along the sidewalk as well, but none of them are lit. And there in the middle of one side of the road, is a larger building with a sign over it in white classic lettering. You squint your eyes to try and read the sign. You can barely make it out, but it looks like it says...Troubadour? Like the one in L.A? You've driven past the Troubadour a few times back home and know that it's a nightclub in West Hollywood, but you've never been inside or given it much thought. But now that you know what you're looking at, you would know that sign anywhere. You don't realize that Taron has stopped the golf cart in the middle of the street and is looking at you, until you look over at him with a confused look. He is beaming at you with that mega-watt smile of his.

"Welcome to L.A. Well, a small bit of it at least, and circa 1970", he says grinning ear-to ear.

"What?? What is this?" You asked still amazed looking around again.

"It's the L.A. set! It's almost finished and I wanted you to see it. I know it's not anywhere near the same as being home, but I thought maybe it might remind of you of L.A. Maybe help you, just a little?" You are slowly starting to grasp what he is saying. You knew they were building an L.A. set based on what that receptionist had said, but you didn't know exactly WHAT they were building. As the realization settles over you, you can't help but break out into a smile to match Taron's.

"Oh my God. They built this?? This is...amazing", you say looking around wide-eyed. Then something occurs to you, "Wait, are we supposed to be here?" you ask suddenly feeling very exposed out here. Taron's face drops.

"Well, not exactly... That's what I was doing before, sneaking the golf cart out".

"Taron!" you exclaim with a sound of shock as you lightly punch him on his shoulder.

"What?" he asks innocently. "What are they going to do? Fire me?" he says with a snort.

"Well no, but they could fire me!" you retort quickly.

"Never", he says pointedly and hops out of the cart. "Come on! Let's go look around!" he says in a somewhat hushed but excited voice. You reluctantly climb out of the small vehicle and look around feeling very paranoid. Noticing the look on your face he tries to reassure you. "It's ok, there's no one around. We won't get caught, promise", he says and playfully pokes your nose with the tip of his finger. You look up into his soft eyes and can't help but give in. Again.

"Fine, but if we get caught I'm saying you forced me!" you say in a harsh whisper.

"Deal", he agrees and leads you over to one side of the street where the "Troubadour" sits. You both stand under the huge sign looking up at it. It's much clearer now being so close, but the moon casts strange shadows and light on the sign making the appearance even more surreal.

"Wow, this is so cool", you stay still mesmerized.

"Yeah", Taron agrees scanning the building in front of him. You look over at him and smile at the excited look on his face. Like a kid at Christmas.

"Are you excited to film here? What exactly ARE they filming here?" you ask curious.

"It's the Crocodile Rock scene", he says finally taking his eyes off the building and looking over at you. "Well, the interior shots will take place back on the set, but all the shots of Elton driving up for the first time, going in, interacting with fans...you know all the exterior stuff, will be here", he says looking around again taking it all in. You nod your head as he explains. "It's just really cool you know, to be here where it all basically began for Elton. Well, not here here, but you know what I mean", he is speaking so passionately now, you can't help but admire him. And for the first time, you think you see a side of Taron that you haven't seen before. The humble and modest side of him. You can hear in his voice the respect he has for Elton and everything he's been through. And the honor it must be to portray such a legend.

"It's really very cool Taron", you say honestly and smile over at him.

After leaving the Troubadour, you walk casually side by side starting on one end of the street, peering into windows with nothing on the other side. You crane your neck to look at the tops of the palm trees, watching them sway gently in the breeze. You wonder briefly where exactly these came from, but decide not to ask. You are enjoying being here in the stillness where the world seems to have stopped for these few moments. Taron seems to be at peace here as well, and you allow your mind to drift to home, to warm Cali days and cool nights. To the salty air that drifts in every once in awhile and the sunny days that seem to stretch on forever. You glance over at Taron and see that he is watching you, smiling sweetly at you.

"Thank you", you say honestly. "I think this is just what I needed."

"You are very welcome. I hope it helps, somewhat."

"It does, more than you know". He rewards you with a winning smile. And there's that somersault in your belly again. What IS that? Before you can dwell on that thought any longer, you suddenly hear a noise in the distance some 100 yards behind you. It's muffled at first, but then it sounds very much like heavy footsteps. You can see that Taron has heard it too because he stops abruptly on the sidewalk. You look up at him to see his eyes as wide as yours. "What was that?" you whisper. You are really hoping that you and the star of this movie are not about to be murdered. You both slowly turn around to see what looks like a figure dressed all in black with his back to you in the direction you just came from. You see a beam of light pass over the street and set buildings. The figure turns 180 degrees just enough for you to make out a dark cap on its head and something shiny on its chest. You both realize it at the same time. Security guard.

"Shit!" Taron exclaims in a whisper. He then grabs your hand and pulls you around the corner to an alley between two of the fake storefronts. He presses you up against the wall, your back flat against the hard surface. You feel the panic start to rise in your throat. You know they won't fire him, but they can most definitely fire you! Well, at least you'd get to go home. But is that really what you want? Of course not. Your panic turns quickly into annoyance at Taron for dragging you out here, even if it has been really pleasant.

"What was that about not getting caught?" you whisper sarcastically up at him. He is still looking in the direction of the street. There's not many places one can hide out here. He looks back at you and touches his forefinger to his lips.

"Shhhh", he whispers looking down into your eyes. When his eyes find yours in the dark, with only a sliver of moonlight illuminating them, you suddenly become keenly aware that he is still holding your hand with his body pressed firmly to yours. You feel the warmth emanating from him, his face so close to yours, you can see the fresh stubble on his chin. You press your free hand to his chest in a feeble attempt to separate your bodies, but he doesn't budge. Instead, he places his hand over yours and looks intently at you. You're not quite sure in the darkness, but his eyes seem to have that dark and fixed look again. You can see the pull of his throat as he swallows, then his lips part and a small breath escapes him. You are back to panic mode now, but for a completely different reason. You notice your own breathing has become a little labored as you feel the rise and fall of his chest beneath your hand, and you try to force words from your mouth.

"Taron", you manage to whisper. He doesn't answer, just continues to stare deep into your eyes. You continue meekly, "What should we do?" After an agonizing amount of time, he finally drags his eyes away from yours and cranes his neck around the side of the alley. Letting out the breath you were holding you ask, "What's he doing?"

Taron pauses for a second. "He's looking at the golf cart." Another pause. "Uh oh..."

"What?" you ask almost hyperventilating at this point.

"He's getting into it...Yeah, he's driving away". You feel a mixture of relief and dread pass over you.

"You're kidding." you say stoically. He presses his lips together and looking back at you shakes his head from side to side. "You left the keys in the cart?!?" You say a little louder than intended. Lips still in a hard line he nods his head up and down.

"Oh my God Taron!" you whisper looking up at the sky.

"Well, at least we're not getting caught", he says in a normal volume raising his eyebrows. You sigh heavily, so many emotions swirling around your head. He finally releases your hands and takes a step a back from you. You almost feel disappointment now at the loss of contact as you try and gather your thoughts and calm your racing heart.

"Well, I hope you're prepared to carry me back!" You joke, hands on hips.

"No problem!" he says and proceeds to scoop you up, one arm under your knees, the other around your waist.

"Taron!" you shriek out. "Put me down!" You yell, kicking your legs and grabbing onto his neck for support. You of course should have realized he'd do this. You are both laughing now as he sets you back down on your feet.

"I like seeing you smile", he says genuinely. "Your eyes, they light up".

"Thank you," you say feeling a bit embarrassed and looking at the ground. "And thank you for... this", you say motioning around you. "But can we please get out of here before another guard shows up?" You ask, wondering how you're ever going to make it back in the state of pure exhaustion you're in.

"Yes, love. Let's go", he says and you both turn around to go back the way you came.


	8. The Long Walk

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You and Taron have to walk back to the main set together.

You are really hoping that Taron knows his way back since you are directionally challenged and really weren't paying attention to how you got here. Plus, you are so fatigued, you think you might just pass out at any moment. You are thankful you're wearing your comfortable sneakers that you always wear on set because of all the walking and standing you do. But at this point, you could be wearing Elton platforms and it wouldn't really make a difference since you can barely move one foot in front of the other. You know you get a little whiny and snippy when you're tired, so you try your best not to sound that way as you complain to Taron.

"Uggh, Taron, I feel like I'm gonna pass out. How much further do you think?" You know you've only been walking about ten minutes but it can't be that much longer, right?

"Shouldn't be too much longer. I really am sorry, it never even occurred to me that a guard would show up and steal our golf cart", he says shrugging his shoulders.

"Well to be fair, you're the one that stole it Taron. HE was just returning it", you point out. When he doesn't argue, you continue with your lament. "I feel like I'm walking through mud, wearing hundred pound shoes, while carrying an elephant on my back." He chuckles at this and you glare over at him.

"Come on, you're going to make it, I promise", he urges throwing his arm around your shoulder to support you. Normally you might feel uncomfortable walking like this, but you actually welcome the support now and lean against him letting him take some of your weight.

"So what's next?" you ask sighing. "Now that the young Elton scene is done. What are you filming when we get back on Monday?" you ask trying to stay awake by making conversation.

"Well, there are few more younger Elton scenes that we need to film at the cafe with Bernie and some street scenes. But Monday we're filming "Your Song" because they need to strike the Pinner house set to make room for some new ones." His voice has grown soft and subdued.

"Oh yeah, I remember reading that now in my notes for next week. Longer hair Elton, so a different wig", you recall.

"Yep", is all he responds with. You're wondering why he's suddenly so quiet. Maybe he's finally as tired as you are. But you can't help but wonder if it's something else.

"You ok?" you ask nudging him a little with your hip. He grins slightly at you but doesn't speak right away. You look at him with a smile, eyebrows raised prompting him to go on.

"Yeah...I guess I'm just a little...nervous." This surprises you.

"Taron Egerton NERVOUS? I don't believe it. What could you possibly be nervous about?" you ask jokingly but he doesn't smile.

"Stop, I get nervous too you know. I just don't always show it", he says and you can hear the hesitation in his voice now.

"Ok, I'm sorry. Go on", you say seriously.

"Well, remember how I have to sing a song live on set?" You nod your head. "Well, this is it. I have to play the opening chords on the piano, remember all the lyrics AND sing live. And remember to act all at the same time! And this is like the defining moment of the start of Elton and Bernie's career. Well, one of them anyway." He pauses, thinking. "I just don't want to screw it up, you know? It's a lot of pressure...", he says quietly. There's that passion again that amazes you and makes you literally stop in your tracks when he speaks this way. You turn to face him in the moonlight.

"Taron, you are an incredible performer. I mean, from what I've seen which I admit isn't much. But I see how everyone just completely loses their minds over your performances. I'm actually a little bummed I don't get to see more! But even without having really experienced it first-hand, I have no doubt in my mind that you are going to nail this scene. The passion and drive that you have to do Elton justice is beyond anything I've ever seen in an actor." Suddenly his eyes light up and he claps his hands together.

"You should come on set Monday and watch!" You turn to start walking again.

"Oh, no. I don't think that's a good idea. They don't need me in their way. Besides, isn't that scene going to be a closed set?" You definitely don't want to tread on thin ice especially after tonight.

"Yes, but I think it'll be ok. If anyone says anything, we'll just say I needed you there in case of a wig malfunction or something, I don't know..." This makes you laugh. "Besides, have you even HEARD me sing?" This causes you stop and think. Of course you've heard Taron sing, haven't you? Well now that you think of it, you don't think you actually have. Not for real anyway. Oh sure, you might have heard him humming a tune while you were doing his hair and make-up, but you would've been in such concentration mode that you wouldn't really have paid much attention. You were always too far off set to hear anything during filming, and he would have been lip syncing at that time anyway.

"You know, now that you say that. I'm not sure I actually have. How is that even possible?" You are really puzzled over this now.

"Well that settles it then. You'll come watch the scene; you'll finally hear me sing and it will make me feel better knowing you're there." At this you snap your head over to him.

"Why would that make you feel better?" you are genuinely curious about this.

"I don't know, I just feel really comfortable with you. Safe I guess. You know, you don't ever judge me and you always tell it like it is. You'll be able to tell me honestly how I did. Your opinion is important to me." You smile to yourself at his words.

"That's very sweet Taron, but I still don't think it's a good idea." He stops again and turns you toward him, hands on your shoulders.

"Please", he says looking down at you with those pleading hazel eyes. Dear God please don't let him wink.

"I'll think about it", you finally respond apparently unable or unwilling to tell him no. He grins widely.

"I guess that'll do for now", he says removing his hands from your shoulders and picking up the walking pace again. You shake your head at your own weakness.

"I'm just glad we have tomorrow off", you state trying to change the subject. You expect him to agree but he says nothing. You look over at him waiting for a response. "Aren't you glad we have off so you can get some rest? You have to be exhausted too."

After a brief pause, he responds, " Yeah, I guess so", he says looking at the ground.

"You guess so?" you ask.

"I just really like being here I guess. It feels like home, like where I belong. Where I'm meant to be", he says looking over at you.

"I get that. You're an artist and this is your canvas, for lack of a better phrase. I can understand the feeling of wanting to surround yourself with it as much as possible. But everybody needs down time."

"That's true, it is my passion and I'm definitely my best self when I'm here. But, it's more than that. I truly love being a part of this film and it's been an amazing experience so far, but I guess what I look forward to most is the people I get to spend time with each day. It's like, my own little family."

"That makes sense. You're with like-minded people all day long; other performers like you. It looks like you've already made some great friendships in Jamie and Richard. It's really special that you get to create these bonds that will hopefully last a lifetime."

"Well yeah, that's true. But it's not just them..." His voice trails off and you look over at him waiting for him to continue but he's looking at you with a conflicted look on his face. You don't quite comprehend what he's saying, but then it occurs to you.

"Oh, you mean Elton? Has he been on set yet? I can't even imagine what that must be like, to be portraying the life of someone like that. And then for him to be here on set watching it all unfold? That must be so surreal."

"No, I mean yes, it is amazing. He's been here but only briefly", he says sounding a bit frustrated.

"Oh, ok. Hey, speaking of Elton, you said you had a story about him calling you...what was it? A little shit?" you say snorting.

"Oh yeah. That", he says redirecting his thoughts. "Well a few months before filming started, he invited me to stay at his house for the night. And well, we got a little drunk and decided to raid his kitchen in the middle of the night", he says recalling the memory and chuckling a little. "So, we're going through his pantry at like two in the morning and we get caught by his staff. But of course we think Elton won't find out. But the next day, we're just casually talking and he says, You really are a little shit aren't you? I was so caught off guard. I mean, he said it in a joking manner, but it was just kind of funny that that was like my first real encounter with Elton John", he says shaking his head and laughing. You can see that this is a pleasant memory for him and that it was all in fun, so you laugh along with him. But then something occurs to you and before thinking it through, you ask.

"Who is we?" At this, his face suddenly drops and turns serious.

"Oh, my girlfriend." At the word, "girlfriend", you stop so suddenly that it takes a moment for Taron to realize it and he has to turn back a little.

"You have a girlfriend?" You're not sure why this shocks you. He of course has every right to have a girlfriend, and why wouldn't someone like him have a girlfriend, but nevertheless, you are shocked. Maybe because up until this point, he has never once mentioned her.

"Well, no. Ex-girlfriend I guess", he states stoically.

"You guess? Is she your girlfriend or not?" You are trying really hard not to sound accusatory, and you can't quite figure out why this is bothering you. He shoves his hands in his pockets and looks at the ground.

"We broke up. A few months ago", he says still not looking at you.

"Oh", you respond looking away. You don't know what else to say so you abruptly turn and walk away from him in the direction you were going. You hear his footsteps pick up pace on the gravelly road trying to catch up with you.

"Are you ok?" He asks looking over at you, concern written on his face.

"I'm fine, I'm just tired", you answer blankly and looking ahead you see the familiar trailers come into view. "Finally", you state and you pick up the pace again feeling the need to be away from him. But why? As you round the corner to reach the make-up trailer, Taron catches up to you and grabs your arm gently. You stop and turn around to face him.

"Are you upset?" he asks and his face looks so worn and tired.

"I told you, I'm just tired Taron, it's been a really long day and I just want to go to bed", you say as you release yourself from his grasp and make your way through the door to retrieve your things. You definitely feel irritated, but it's just because you're exhausted, right? You grab your purse and fish your phone out ready to call the number of the cab company you've been using. "I hope the taxi doesn't take too long", you mutter more to yourself than to Taron.

"Taxi? I have my car, it's right around the corner in the car park. I'll drive you", Taron says as he makes his way back out the door with you following behind.

"That's ok. I always take a taxi-", you start to protest but he cuts you off.

"That's ridiculous. It's one in the morning. I'm driving you", he says resolutely and you're a little surprised at the demanding sound of his voice so you don't say anything else. You're too tired to argue anyway so you follow him out to the parking lot. When you reach the lot, there is just one single black four door vehicle parked there so you assume it must be his. You make your way over to what you think is the passenger side door when Taron is suddenly by your side. You look up at him confused. "Are you going to drive love?" he asks grinning at you.

"Oh", is all you respond with when you realize you are standing next to the driver's side door. Will you ever remember they drive on the "wrong" side of the road here? He chuckles a little as you make your way over to the other side and climb in. You settle yourself into the comfortable leather seat and breath in the "new car" smell. You buckle yourself in and feel more relaxed than you have all night, especially when the cool air of the AC hits your face. You are just letting your head rest back on the seat when you are jerked alert by Taron's voice.

"I need an address love", he says peering over at you phone in hand. You tell him and watch as he punches it into the map on his phone. "Ok, you can rest now, it says ten minutes", he says turning the wheel and rolling slowly out of the parking lot. You rest your head back and let your eyes drift close. The sensation is wonderful. You could just stay right here in this car and be happy forever. But no sooner than your eyes have closed, do you feel yourself being nudged slightly on your shoulder. You open your groggy eyes to see Taron leaning over you from your side of the car through the open door.

"Whaa? What's going on? Why are we stopped?" you say sleepily. He laughs a little.

"We're here. I tried waking you but you were out", he says reaching around you and unbuckling your seatbelt.

"Oh, I slept??" you ask still a little confused.

"Yep, you were asleep before we even left the studio", he answers as he guides you by your arm out of the car.

"Oh, sorry", you say feeling a little foolish, especially since he is treating you like an invalid. "It's ok, I can walk", you say brushing him off. He turns to grab your purse and slips it onto your shoulder. "I'm ok Taron, I can manage getting to the door", you say turning away from him.

"It's late, humor me", he says still walking by your side. You're too worn out to disagree. The two of you walk silently to the door and you rummage around in your purse for the key. Once you reach the door, you stick it in the lock and struggle clumsily with it. It's old and your eyes are tired.

"It sticks sometimes", you mumble concentrating on the lock.

"Here, let me", he says taking the key from your hand then effortlessly turns it in the lock. He places the key back into your palm, then holds his hand over yours for a moment as he looks into your eyes. "I had fun tonight. You make me laugh", he tells you with a soft smile. You swallow as you focus on his eyes.

"Me too Taron. Thank you again", you say sincerely. He doesn't say anything else, but something passes over his eyes that you can't quite discern. His brows squeeze together like he's working out a problem in his head and you see his jaw flex. He lingers there for just a moment longer, then releases your hand, turns abruptly and heads back to his car without saying a word. You watch him for just a few seconds, then step through the old door. You trudge up the stairs, taking them one by one at an agonizingly slow pace. You unlock the door to your room, drop your things on the floor next to you, then fall front first onto the bed without even bothering to remove your clothes or shoes.


	9. The Phone Call

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You and Taron have a phone conversation.

You sleep until 2:00 pm the next day. You did wake up sometime around 5:00 am to take your shoes off, but other than that, you slept blissfully all night. You are a little bummed that you spent half your day off in bed, but you figure you needed it. Once you finally drag yourself out of the comfort of your bed, you check your phone to see that you have several missed texts and phone calls, mostly from Lisa and a few from your mom. You'll deal with them later you think. You're not quite ready to deliver the blow that you won't be coming home anytime soon.

You decide to shower, then make your way downstairs to find something to eat. Julia is there and she insists on making you a ham sandwich with "crisps", noting how tired you've seemed lately and how many hours you've been working. It's honestly the best sandwich you've ever had. You then spend the next two hours in the kitchen helping her make homemade chocolate chip cookies, laughing while she tells you stories of her most "interesting" guests, and then sampling a few of the cookies with an ice cold glass of milk. She wraps up a dozen of the prettiest ones and insists you bring them to the cast and crew tomorrow. You don't have the heart to tell her that those wouldn't even come close to feeding everyone. You're not entirely sure she understands exactly what is you do, but that's ok.

Afterward, you wander outside to the backyard with a cup of tea in hand to sit on one of the benches and enjoy the afternoon sun. It's so peaceful out here with the shade of the sprawling trees and the birds singing. This place is such a welcome contrast to the hustle and bustle of the busy movie set, and it's just what you need right now for some well-deserved downtime. After about an hour of just sitting and doing nothing at all, you decide it's finally time to bite the bullet and call Lisa and your mom. They are of course both upset when you explain that you're not coming home right away, but they are understanding and sympathetic. You ask if Lisa will tell you what the big surprise is since you don't know when you'll be home. Reluctantly she finally tells you that she's in love, to which you roll your eyes. Lisa has "fallen" in and out of love so many times you've lost count. But she insists that this is "the one", so you congratulate her and tell her you can't wait to meet him. To this, she grows a little quiet and tells you there is something else she needs to say to you that really should be said in person. You are of course curious about this, but think she must have her reasons and decide to let it go.

Once the phone calls end you feel a little down again, so you change into your pj's at 7:00 pm and crawl back into bed to watch some tv. You haven't really had much time to enjoy the tiny television in your room, but it might be nice to zone out on some bad tv instead of dwelling on your meager problems. You pick up the ancient remote and begin to mindlessly flip through the channels. You could open up Netflix on your phone, but you don't really want to concentrate on anything for real right now.

You've had such a relaxing day, other than the slightly stressful phone calls, that you haven't even thought about the film or Taron. Well almost. You have caught yourself thinking about him a time or two, but that's mainly because you can't shake the feeling that you should apologize for your behavior last night. You weren't exactly rude, but after he went out of his way to do such a nice thing for you, you could have been a little more pleasant in the end. You were just really tired and for some reason the mention of his girlfriend hadn't set well with you. Why was that? The only thing you can think of is because he's told you SO much about everything else, but never once mentioned her. You're not sure why that should matter, but it does somehow. He'd told you in explicit gory detail how they'd filmed a rather crass scene in one of his movies, but he couldn't be bothered to mention the girlfriend that was important enough to stay at Elton John's house with him? How long had they been dating? Why did they break up? You know these are questions that don't concern you, but your curiosity has gotten the better of you. Unless, could it be, that you are...jealous? You dismiss that thought immediately. No, that can't be it. You were just surprised he hadn't mentioned her, that's all. You'll apologize tomorrow for the way you acted last night, reminding him you were simply exhausted. Now that that's settled in your mind, you continue on with your endless channel surfing.

You've been flipping through the channels for about thirty minutes and haven't found anything suitable to watch when you hear your phone buzz on the bedside table. Reaching over to grab it and fully expecting to see Lisa or your mom's number flash across the screen, you are stunned when you see that you have received a text message from Taron. You stare at it for a moment perplexed. You have never texted each other since there's never really been a need. You've always been together on set, or you were waiting for him while he filmed. What could he possibly want? Only one way to find out, you think as you slide the message open.

Taron: Hi! I wanted to double check the time for tomorrow and I can't find the schedule. Didn't want to bother Dex. It's 8:00 right? T

You blink a few times at the text before responding.

You: Ah, so you decided to bother me instead huh? Lol. J/k. Yes, 8 am.

Taron: Yeah sorry. Thanks. (smiley face)

You: No problem, see you tomorrow.

You are about to close your phone when you see another text pop up from him.

Taron: Actually, I did have an ulterior motive for texting you...

You: Oh?

Taron: Yeah, well, I wanted to make sure you were ok after last night. You seemed different after we got back to the trailer.

You: Oh, yeah. Well I was actually going to talk to you about that tomorrow. I was going to apologize. I really was exhausted and was just ready to get home. Well, to the B&B.

Taron: No need to apologize, I just thought maybe, I dunno, it seemed like you got upset after I mentioned my ex? I may be way off base, it just seemed that way and I wanted to make sure we were good.

You: Of course we're good. No worries at all, like I said just tired.

He doesn't respond right away and you can see that he's read your message, so you decide to be brave and voice your thoughts.

You: Well, if I'm being honest, I was a little surprised when you told me about her.

Taron: Can I ask why?

You: I guess because you've never mentioned her before. You've told me so many things, but nothing about the girl that meant enough to you for you to take to Elton's.

Your heart is beating a little faster now. You don't want him to think that you're prying into his personal life. You really don't know him that well.

Taron: Well, yeah. I get that.

He doesn't say anything else and you don't feel you have the right to ask questions so you're not sure what else to say. A full minute goes by, and then:

Taron: Hey, can I call you?

Your heart picks up pace again. Why does he want to call you? You wish you'd never said anything.

You: Umm, sure.

He doesn't text anything else, and before you can even close out of the messages, his name, indicating that he's calling, appears across the screen. You hesitantly slide the bar over to receive the call.

"Hey", you say softly.

"Hey, sorry, it's just easier if we can talk", he replies just as softly. He seems calmer than usual, mellow somehow.

"No worries, it really isn't that big a deal though. It's nothing really. I'm sorry I behaved poorly last night."

"I told you, you don't need to apologize. I understand. But if there's something bothering you that has to do with me, anything, I want you to be able to tell me. Ok?" His voice is deeper over the phone and the sound of it makes you feel warm.

"Ok...", you reply.

"So, is there anything you want to say to me, or ask me?" You're not exactly sure what he's getting at, and you're still not sure you feel comfortable asking him about his ex. But you ARE curious, and he IS encouraging you to ask.

"Well, how long were you dating your ex?" Innocent enough you think.

"Almost three years." Once again, you are shocked. Three years and they just broke up? Just like that?

"Wow, that's a long time", you say trying not to sound too surprised.

"Yeah", is all he says. For someone wanting you to open up to him, he isn't being very forthcoming.

"We don't have to talk about this Taron, it's ok", you say hoping to end this line of conversation. You're becoming uncomfortable.

"No, it's ok. I guess I really haven't talked much about this to anyone so it's kinda weird." You imagine his eyebrows squeezing together like they sometimes do.

"Ok," you think for a moment then decide to just go for it. "Can I ask why you broke up? It's really none of my business though, so if you don't want to tell me, I completely understand". You want to reassure him that he really doesn't have to talk about this. You're not sure you really want to hear it anyway.

"No, it's ok. It wasn't some big blowout break up. In fact, it was completely mutual. She's in the biz too so we never really saw each other, and we eventually got to the point where it was easier to just go our separate ways. It was too difficult trying to make time for us. I know that sounds like BS, like if we cared about each other enough, we should've found a way to make it work. But it was just too hard and exhausting and it stopped making sense. So we both agreed that a relationship shouldn't be that much work, you know?" He says this with little emotion and you can't help but wonder why.

"Yeah, I get that. It sounds like you both made a very responsible decision. Do you ever talk to her now?" You ask.

"Honestly, no. Sometimes I see her name in an article or something so I see what she's up to, but we never talk."

"Are you ok with that?" You internally chastise yourself for asking another question and prolonging the conversation.

"Yeah. I guess. I mean, I kinda have to be right?" You're not really sure what this answer means and you don't really want to know any more.

"Yeah, I guess so." There is a pause in the conversation and you're hoping that this discussion is closed for now. After a few seconds of silence, Taron speaks again.

"What about you? Anyone special back home?" You chuckle a little at his use of the word "special". Who says that now? You assume he means romantic relationships so you answer honestly.

"No, not really. I've dated a few guys here and there but no one really "special". Well, I take that back. There was one guy about a year ago but we only dated for about six months. But as dumb as it sounds, I did think he was "the one." You laugh nervously. "What the hell did I know?" You say this trying to play it off, but the remembered pain comes crashing down on you at the mention of him.

"It doesn't sound dumb at all. What happened, if you don't mind me asking?" Taron asks sincerely. You smile at his sweetness and you suddenly wish he was there with you.

"Nothing. One day, he just left. No warning. No explanation. Nothing. Just left", you say matter-of-factly.

"Oh God, I'm so sorry", and he says your name with such tenderness it makes you want to cry. "He literally left without saying a word to you?"

"No, he told me he was leaving, just never said why", you say blandly. "But I'm ok now. It took awhile, but I'm ok", you say almost convincing yourself.

"Well, if you ever need to talk about it, or anything, I'm here", he says with a soothing voice.

"Thanks Taron, I appreciate that. Truly." There is a short pause.

"Well, this conversation needs a pick me up!" Taron exclaims and he is sounding like his usual upbeat self again which makes you smile. "So, what did you decide about tomorrow?" You are suddenly confused.

"Tomorrow?" You ask puzzled.

"About coming on set to watch "Your Song?" He says in an obvious way.

"Oh, that. I was kinda hoping you had forgotten about that", you say not wanting to admit you had forgotten yourself.

"Nope, not at all. So you're coming right?" Thank God you can't see him right now since you have such a hard time refusing him.

"Taron....." He cuts you off.

"Nope, no more excuses. I promise you will not get fired. There is no way in hell I would ever let that happen, no matter what. But I bet no one will even notice, you can just kinda slip in the back."

"Oh yeah sure, I'll just slip in. No one will ever notice a person on a CLOSED SET that's not supposed to be there", you say sarcastically. Taron sighs dramatically.

"Ok, what do I have to do to get you to be there?" You consider this for a moment.

"Bring me coffee tomorrow since you kept me out so late last night and I'm still recovering", you say jokingly.

"Done! Hell, I'll bring you coffee every day for the rest of the shoot if you want!" You laugh at his enthusiasm.

"I was joking Taron! I don't expect you to bring me coffee ever!" You say giggling at him.

"I will happily bring you coffee tomorrow. A small price to pay to have you there", and his voice grows contemplative again.

"I still don't get why you want me there so bad", you really don't understand this at all.

"It's hard to explain I guess. I just have a very calm feeling when you're around. You have a way of putting me in this tranquil-like state of mind. Most of the time anyway. Not last night when you were mad at me", and he chuckles at this.

"I told you I wasn't mad at you."

"I know, I know. You were just tired." Why do you get the feeling that when he says tired, it has air quotes around it?

"Exactly", you respond. "Anyway, I told you I would think about it and I will. Promise."

"Fine", he says in an exasperated voice and you can practically hear his eyes roll. You smile at his persistence since he can't see you.

"Well, I better go. I'm still a little tired from last night and I wouldn't want to get MAD at you", you say giving into the joke.

"Ha! Ok, well I'll let you get your beauty sleep. Not that you need it. But I sure do!"

"Yeah right. Just take care of that voice for tomorrow. Drink some warm tea with honey", you advise sounding like Julia.

"Yes m'am", he replies.

"Goodnight Taron", you say more subdued now.

"Goodnight, sweet dreams. See you in the morning."

"Bye."

"Bye."

You end the call and lay the phone back down on the bedside table, then turn off the little lamp next to you. It's still early, but you pull the covers up under your chin, close your eyes and smile as visions of Taron's face fill your mind and you drift easily into sleep.


	10. Your Song

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You watch as Taron performs "Your Song" live and something unexpected happens.

You wake up bright and early the next morning feeling refreshed and re-energized. Your phone conversation with Taron the night before left you with a satisfied and content mood that has carried over to this morning. You throw on a light colored workout tank and yoga pants, your typical attire for the studio. Not very fancy, but easy to move in with breathing room for long days at the studio. You are just brushing your hair and throwing it up into a messy bun when you hear your phone buzz next to you on the bathroom counter. You pick it up distractedly with one hand as you finish off your top knot with the other. Glancing down at it, you see you have a text from Taron. You smile inadvertently when you see his name across the screen.

Taron: Don't call a taxi. I'm on my way.

You: What? On your way where?

Taron: Your place.

Why are you always in a state of confusion where he is concerned? You consider calling him to clarify but you still need to apply a little make-up so you decide against it. You don't have time to argue, so you simply text back:

You: Ok.

Taron: Good, I expected you to argue. You're learning. (wink face) I need your coffee order anyway...

You: (thumbs up)

You don't feel a detailed response is necessary, so you sigh loudly and go to work with a light application of make-up. You wouldn't wear any at all, but as a make-up artist, you feel the need to look somewhat "made-up" so people will think you know what you're doing. You are just putting your things away when you hear your phone buzz again. Uggh, what now??? You pick it up fully expecting Taron to be bugging you about something else, and are a more than a little surprised when you see Colin's name flash on the screen. Colin, the film student who essentially got you the make-up job in the first place. Colin, who's number you'd put in your phone in case you had needed to reach out again about the job. Colin, who admittedly you haven't thought about since that day you last talked to him. Why is he texting you? You slide the message open to find out.

Colin: Hey there you! Long time no talk huh? Listen, I'm headed to the studio today to work on some edits with the production crew. Thought I might stop by later to say hi if that's ok?

You don't see why not so you reply back before heading back to your room to grab your things.

You: Sure, I'll probably be in the main make-up trailer. If not, text me and I'll find you.

Colin: Ok great! Maybe if it's not too late, we could grab a drink somewhere?

A drink? You're not too sure about that. But on second though, maybe it might be nice to go out somewhere after work besides just going back to the B&B like you always do. You haven't done much socializing since you started the job, at least not with people your own age, and it's just a drink. It's not like it's dinner or anything. It might actually be a nice change of pace.

You: Sure, why not? If it's not too late and if I'm done for the day.

Colin: Great! Well, I'll catch up with you later!

You: (thumbs up)

Now you're really close to running late, so you grab your things, make your way quickly down the stairs and take a banana from the kitchen for later. You also remember to get the cookies Julia had left for you. You look out the front window to see Taron just pulling into the drive in his shiny black vehicle. You're not really into cars so you have no idea what kind it is, but it looks expensive. Making sure you have all of your essentials tucked safely away in your rather large bag, you skip out the door, lock it and hurry over to the car. You actually remember to go to the passenger side this time, and balancing your bag in one hand and the container of cookies in the other, you clamber inside.

"Hey", you say a little out of breath as you look over at Taron who is grinning stupidly at you. "What?" You ask seeing the look on his face.

"Nothing, got everything you need?" He asks shaking his head at you.

"I sure hope so", you say glancing around yourself. 

"What are those?" He asks gesturing to the cookies as he backs out of the driveway. Once you've gotten yourself settled, you turn to him again.

"Cookies, I made them with Julia last night. Umm, the caretaker I live with", you say explaining. "Want one?" You ask starting to open the container.

"Maybe later", he says. "Nervous tummy". You feel for him, you know he's going to be great. You just wish he could see that. Not wanting to draw more attention to his nervousness, you simply nod your head and change the subject.

"Thanks for picking me up, although you really didn't have to. I always call a taxi."

"Which is absurd", he retorts. "I can drive you most days. We practically have the same schedule and it's right on my way", he says eyeing the road.

"I don't expect you to be my Lyft driver Taron", you say sarcastically.

"Your what?" he says eyebrows scrunching.

"Nevermind", you say and now you're the one shaking your head.

"Ok", he says with a shrug. "Coffee?"

"Yes absolutely", you reply enthusiastically. Thirty minutes later, you both arrive at the studio, large coffees in hand. You are excited about the change of pace now that some of the big musical numbers are done. Now, they are really getting into the nitty-gritty of the movie and beginning the more emotional and integral scenes. You're starting to wonder if Taron will bring it up again that he wants you there during "Your Song". As if reading your mind, he turns to you as you are putting your things away.

"So, not to be annoying, but did you decide about today?" He asks with the biggest puppy dog eyes you've ever seen. You can tell that he's not just trying to use his charm to get you to give in this time. You can see that he is being truly sincere and that this means a lot to him. You had given it some thought this morning between getting ready and all the texts so you decide not to keep him in suspense any longer.

"Yes, I have." His face lights with anticipation. Even if you had decided it was a no, how would you ever tell him that now? "I promise, I will do my best to make it in there somehow." His eyes brighten and he clasps his hands together, but before he can say anything you feel the need to clarify, "But if it's too difficult and I just can't make it happen, don't be upset, ok?"

"Ok, I won't," he says grinning from ear to ear. You can tell it's too late, he's already fully expecting you to be there.

You shake your head at him and say, "Alright then, let's get this wig situated shall we?" And you indicate that he go sit down. He does, and you begin to rummage around the area where the wigs are kept, selecting the correct one and gathering supplies. After styling and fussing with it for 45 minutes, you are finally happy with the results. You apply his make-up and tooth ink and then send him on his way to costume. Before he heads down the stairs out of the trailer, you stop him and placing your hand on his shoulder you say, "Break a leg. I know you'll do great."

"Thanks love," he says. "And hopefully I'll see you there", he says with a damn wink.

"Well, hopefully you won't because no one should actually SEE me there, right?"

"Right", he confirms. Then as if thinking something over, he does a once over down your body with his eyes. You suddenly feel exposed and cross your arms over your chest.

"What?" You ask embarrassed. He has his finger pressed to his lips as he looks you over, then walks behind you to grab something hanging on the clothing rack.

"Here, put this on", he says slipping a shirt onto your arms from behind you.

"What? Why?" You say shrugging into his black button down silk shirt he had worn to the studio. He had discarded it upon arriving to avoid getting make-up on it and was wearing his usual white tank now. He comes around to your front again and starts to button the buttons for you.

"Your top is too light. Too conspicuous", he mumbles concentrating on the buttons. You know you could stop him and button it yourself, but for some reason, you don't.

"Oh", you say looking up into his face as he finishes buttoning the shirt. He looks you up and down again then says, "Perfect." Taron smiles at you, then he's out the door. You watch him go then smooth the shirt down over your front. The silk feels nice against your palms and without really knowing why, you lift one of the lapels and hold it to your nose. You inhale deeply and smile when his familiar scent hits you.

Taron had told you earlier that they were filming "Your Song" on Soundstage 10. So after an hour or so when you have cleaned up and given them enough time for costuming, lighting and whatever else they need to do, you reluctantly make your way toward the soundstage. When you find it, you are almost hoping the door will be locked so you will have an excuse not to go in, but regrettably, it is free and clear. You open the door slowly and peer around it to make sure no one is around. When you see that the coast is clear, you step through the doorway and shut the door quietly behind you. It's dark but you can see light and hear the muffled sounds of voices coming from somewhere beyond the cavernous space before you. You follow the light and sounds slowly, feeling very much like a ninja in your black clothing. As you get closer, you see wires traveling the length before you on the ground, and tables with all sorts of props and miscellaneous items stacked on them. The light is getting brighter and the voices louder as you get closer. Finally, the set comes into view and you can see people bustling around the small living room set up of Elton's childhood home. Staying in the shadows, you notice a piano dead center of the room, it's back toward you. There is a chair to the left of it and a few other scattered 1970's furnishings around the room. To the right is an open doorway, followed by another doorway with what appears to be a kitchen beyond that. This is where you see Taron talking intently with Dex. You can't hear what they're saying, but Taron looks to be in deep concentration as he's listening to what the director has to say. Taron is dressed in what looks like a ratty bathrobe complete with a red t-shirt underneath and slippers on his feet. The robe is cinched loosely at his waist and you can see impressive thighs peaking out from under the robe. You want to get closer so you look around trying to find a suitable "hiding" place. Then you see it, about fifteen feet in front of the piano is a pillar just wide enough for you to fit behind. Making sure no one is turned your way, you quickly make your way over to it and settle in behind it. A few more minutes go by, and you are praying no one else comes in behind you and discovers you standing there. But you don't have any more time to worry about it because someone yells "places" and the crew members wander out of the set and Taron takes his place at the piano. You cautiously peer around your pillar and see Bryce and the older actress, you can't remember her name at the moment, taking their place in the kitchen; and you can see that Jamie is just off set to the right.

A crew member walks over to Taron and holding a clapboard in front of his face says, "Scene 12, Take 1". 

The man claps it together and you jump a little as Dex yells, "Action!"

Now that all eyes are on the scene, you allow yourself to take just a step out from beyond the pillar so that you can get a better view. It's silent in the room for just a moment as Taron (as Elton) plunks out a few keys on the piano and looks off into the distance, presumably formulating the notes and working out the lyrics of the song in front of him. It appears as if he's just "messing around" on the piano until you hear the familiar tune of "Your Song" begin to take shape. Then Taron begins to sing...

"It's a little bit funny, this feeling inside..."

His words are still soft at the moment but you recognize the beginning notes and lyrics of the song which is one of Elton's more popular tunes.

"I'm not one of those who can easily hide..."

The song is beginning to form now as a small smile and look of satisfaction starts to spread over Taron's features. You can see that he likes what he's "creating".

"Don't have much money but boy if I did..."

The look on Taron's face is quite mesmerizing, and you become just as transfixed by his captivating voice which up until now, you still hadn't heard.

"I'd buy a big house where we both could live..."

He's concentrating fully on the lyrics and the music he's playing, and you absent-mindedly step further around the pillar to get a better look. Jamie has appeared at the doorway just off to the right and looks as amazed by Taron's performance as you are. You glance around the room and see that everyone is equally entranced by his stunning vocals.

"If I was a sculptor, but then again no..."

There are no words to describe his voice and you are standing here stunned that you've never actually heard him sing until now. He has definitely been holding out on you. The only thing that comes even close to trying to put it into words is that his voice is like warm honey going down your throat. It's sweet, mellow, warm and inviting; and it makes you feel all tingly in a way you don't think you've ever experienced before. At least not from just hearing someone sing.

"Or a man who makes potions in a traveling show..."

Taron notices Jamie now standing to his left, but turns quickly back to the piano as he continues to deftly play the keys. You suddenly wonder if he's always known how to play or if he learned it for this part. Either way, he's doing an amazing job and you stare in wonder at him as the intensity of the song grows and chill bumps form on your skin.

"I know it's not much but it's the best I can do, My gift is my song and this one's for you..."

At this he turns to Jamie and gives him a little smile and Jamie smiles back, and you can't help but grin widely at the two of them. You know that they've grown friendly during the short time they've been filming, and it warms your heart to see this scene between them unfold before your eyes.

"So excuse me forgetting, But these things I do..."

Taron sings these words with such emotion that it makes your heart feel like it's going to burst from your chest. Being able to experience this is so incredibly moving, but you're not sure why exactly. The look on his face, the sound of his voice, all the time you've spent together over the last few weeks; it all just comes crashing in around you and you can't help but smiling wildly at him. You are thankful he can't see you, or at least, you don't think he can.

"You see I've forgotten, If they're green or they're blue...

A warm smile plays on his face as he sings these words and it makes you smile even bigger and place your hand against your chest. You notice now that your breathing has increased significantly in the last few minutes. Is it because you're nervous about getting caught, or is just...Taron?

"Anyway, the thing is, what I really mean..."

You're now seeing what everyone's been talking about by what an incredible actor Taron really is. How did you not know about him before this movie? He has such intense emotion on his face with each and every line of the song, that you almost forget it's Taron and feel like you're watching Elton himself. But Taron is definitely in there too, putting his own unique spin on the singer. He has a hint of sadness here, with such passion and resolution, you actually feel your eyes tear up a little. You are studying his face so intently, when suddenly his eyes flick up to you and he is staring dead into your eyes.

"Yours are the sweetest eyes I've ever seen..."

These words are sung so beautifully and he's looking so fixedly at you, that your eyes feel like they are going to pop out of the sockets and you stop breathing for a moment. His features are vulnerable and soft, and he's gazing so longingly at you. You try and look away but you can't. Your heart beats furiously and you feel an electric shock go through your body. It only lasts a moment, then he turns back to the lyrics, but you know what you saw. You look frantically around to see if anyone else noticed. All eyes are still on Taron and the various cameras and monitors as he continues the song, so you relax but only slightly.

"And you can tell everybody this is your song..."

Dexter yells, "Cut!" and you practically jump five feet in the air. A few people clap and you quickly duck back behind your pillar. Your hand is still pressed to your chest as you try and calm your erratic breathing. You're not sure if they're going to do another take, or what to make of what just happened, but you're not waiting around to find out. You use the opportunity while everyone is distracted to quickly make your escape back out of the building. You are practically running now as the sounds and light grow fainter and fainter behind you. You finally see the door you came through in the darkness and quickly but quietly opening it, you slip back out. The bright sunlight blinds you for a moment and you collapse against the outer wall of the building next to the door. You close your eyes and take a moment to just breath. After a few moments, you open your eyes and blinking through the sun, you think.

You don't even have to question whether or not he saw you, you know for a fact that he did. There was no mistaking it. But why did he choose THAT moment singing THOSE lyrics to stare directly at you? Why exactly did he want you there so badly? And why are you feeling the way you are right now? What exactly is HAPPENING here???


	11. Just Drinks

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You go for drinks with Colin and Taron doesn't take it so well.

Not wanting to wait around any longer for someone to find you, you return hastily to the make-up trailer, worrying the whole time. What are you going to say to Taron when he comes back? Are you going to mention him looking at you? Will he mention it? Will it be awkward? Are you totally just making something out of nothing? You don't really think so, but who the hell knows what's going on anymore. Your emotions have been so all over the place lately, you could possibly just be blowing this all out of proportion. 

When you arrive back at the trailer, you start your usual routine of cleaning up and clearing away. Sometimes it seems like you are the only one that cleans up around here. That only takes about thirty minutes or so, then you're left to just wait. After a little while longer, you hear voices approaching the trailer and you freeze, heart in your throat. But it's only Bryce and Gemma (you finally remembered her name), followed by Bruce and Olivia who have been doing their hair and make-up. You have nothing better to do, so you assist with the removal of the women's wigs. You casually ask Bryce if she knows where Taron is, but she simply replies that he is with Dex working on some "things".

"Ok.....", you think to yourself. After another hour when the ladies are done and the other make-up artists have left, you are alone again. You are too wound up to got to Craft Services to eat a late lunch, so you just plop down on the sofa and eat the banana you brought followed by one of the cookies. It's going on 4:00 pm and you are feeling less nervous about your upcoming interaction with Taron and more concerned about where he could've gone to. You decide to pull out your phone and begin scrolling through your emails, when he finally comes through the door. Setting your phone on a nearby counter, you rise to greet him. He looks tired but content. And happy.

"Hey", you say softly. When he sees you, a wide grin stretches across his face and he glances around the room making sure no one else is around. Then he crosses over to you, and without saying a word, he pulls you into a warm embrace. You are stunned for a moment, but feeling the warmth of his body against yours, you melt into him. His strong arms are around you and his palms are pressed firmly against your back, pulling you close. You can feel the afternoon stubble of his chin brushing against your neck and the sensation makes you tingle all over.

"Thank you", he mumbles against your shoulder.

"For what?" You ask and take this moment to pull away slightly. You lean back to look up into his face but he doesn't release you. Your hands are still on his shoulders as he looks deep into your eyes.

"For being there today. You have no idea how much that meant to me." His eyes are gleaming. "Dex said it was the best scene we've shot so far. We only did that one take." He finally lets go of you and you do the same as you look at your watch.

"Then where have you been?" And then, looking him over, "And where is your wig...and your make-up?" You are just now realizing that he looks like himself, not Elton, and you weren't the one that did it.

"Oh, I was talking to Dex about some upcoming scenes and then we had to do some costume fittings. Lizzie was there so she took care of my hair and make-up", he says matter-of-factly. You are a little disappointed for some reason.

"Oh...", you trail off.

"I would have texted you, but I left my phone in my trailer", he says apologetically. "I'm sorry I made you wait."

"No worries, I was just wondering where you had gone to", you say smiling shyly up at him. Is he going to mention what happened on the set today?

"Well anyway, I don't know about you, but I'm emotionally exhausted", he says rubbing the back of his neck. "I just really wanted you to know how much I appreciated you being there today. I know it wasn't easy." You are about to say "you're welcome" when he pulls you back against him for another hug. You know how affectionate he is, but this seems a bit...excessive? He pulls back quicker this time, but continues to hold onto you. He's gazing down into your eyes and a look passes over his face. You know this look. It's the same look he gave you the other night when he took you home after sneaking onto the L.A. set. It's a look of conflict and questioning. He searches your face as if hoping to find the answer there. Something about the way his head is angled toward yours and the intense color of his eyes as they stare at you gives you butterflies. You are focused just as deeply on his eyes as you say his name quietly.

"Taron?" He doesn't answer, but he reaches around to tuck a stray strand of hair behind your ear. Then, his eyelids lower and the butterflies in your stomach do somersaults and your breath hitches.

The maddening silence in the room is suddenly shattered by the sound of your name coming from somewhere near the door. Taron backs away from you quickly, and you both turn in the direction of the sound.

Colin is standing there with a dumbstruck look on his face. You had completely forgotten he was wanting to meet up with you today. He repeats your name questionably and you plaster a smile on your face.

Clearing your throat, you quickly say, "Colin! Hi! You found me! Umm, have you met Taron?" You ask gesturing toward him. Before he can answer, you follow up with, "Taron, this is Colin. He kinda got me the job here. Colin...Taron, but I'm guessing you know who he is", you say with an awkward smile. There is a brief pause, then the two men cross to each other, hands outstretched. With a stiff shake of hands, Taron mumbles something like "nice to meet you."

Colin is more enthusiastic. "Oh yeah! We haven't met but I've seen your work first hand in the editing room! Fantastic job mate!"

"Thanks", is all Taron says, then turns his head toward you. Colin looks back and forth between the two of you a couple times, then turns his full attention on you.

"So, how about that drink?" You stiffen, and you think you see Taron do the same out of your peripheral vision. You glance at your watch, hoping that the time will somehow have advanced to a much later hour, but it hasn't of course. You can't think of a plausible excuse not to go.

"Umm, yeah sure", you reply glancing over at Taron. He is still staring at you and it's honestly making you quite uncomfortable. "We're done here...right?" You direct your question toward Taron and this seems to snap him out of his state of shock, or whatever it is he's currently in a state of.

After a pause, he replies. "Yep, sure thing", he says then pulls his phone out of his pocket looking disinterested.

"Ok...let me just grab my things", you say pulling your bag out of the cubby you keep it in. You are walking toward Colin and the door when suddenly you remember something. "Oh, I almost forgot", you say turning back toward Taron and unbuttoning his shirt you are still wearing. When he sees what you are doing, he holds out his hand to stop you.

"No, just keep it. It might be cold. Wherever you are going", he says eyeing Colin. You continue to unbutton it.

"I-I have my jacket", you say softly. He just stares at you indignantly and then holds out his hand for the shirt. You remove it, then place it gently in his hand and he closes his fist around it, never taking his eyes off yours. "See you tomorrow?" You manage to squeak out.

"See ya", is his only reply as he turns away from you. As you walk toward the the door, you look over your shoulder at Taron. His back is to you, but you can see that he is still clutching the shirt and looking solemnly down at it. You linger at the door a moment, then leave the trailer and follow Colin out to his car that is parked in the same lot Taron's was the other night. He unlocks it for you, and you climb inside. You can't shake the feeling of guilt about leaving Taron there like that, but you are determined to try and have fun regardless. Colin talks the whole way to a nearby pub about his adventures in the editing room today. Turns out they were editing the fair scene and he gives you all the little intricate details of his day. You listen politely, and are relieved when you finally arrive at the pub, even though it was only about ten minutes away.

It's a quaint little bar, and you smile upon entering and glancing around. There's really nothing quite like this back home. There is a guitar player in one corner strumming a familiar tune, and the pub is almost empty except for a few guests ready for happy hour. Colin finds the two of you a table and then asks for your drink order. You ask for a gin and tonic, then watch as he goes to the bar to order. A few minutes later, he returns with your drink and a scotch for himself. The two of you chat amiably as you enjoy your drinks. Colin does most of the talking, you really had forgotten how chatty he can be, but he does ask you a few questions about how you're liking the job and so forth. After thirty minutes or so, you casually look at your watch and he asks if you'd like another drink. Your first instinct is to say no, but remembering what you told yourself earlier, you decide to agree to one more drink. By the time you are halfway through your second one, you are feeling a little more relaxed as you listen to Colin drone on about school and all his "mates". You are trying really hard to concentrate on his words, but your mind keeps drifting to Taron. You're starting to regret leaving him there with whatever that was "hanging in the air" between you . It seemed as if he wanted to tell you something, or at the very least, wanted you to stay there with him. Maybe you shouldn't have left so suddenly. He did say he was "emotionally exhausted". Will he be ok driving home? Suddenly making up your mind, you drain the rest of your drink and setting it down on the table, announce you are ready to go. Colin looks a little shocked, but finishes his drink as well then rises to go and settle the bill. You stand to gather your belongings and when he comes back and asks if you're ready, you nod your head and follow him out.

The car ride back to the B&B is a little more subdued. After asking you for the address, he hasn't really said much at all to you. But you really could care less, you're tired and you can't get the look on Taron's face from today out of your head. You can still see so clearly how he looked at you during the filming of the song, and then when he finally came back to the trailer and was holding you so close, the look in his eyes was so...breathtaking. What was he trying to say? To...do? But the look that stands out most clearly in your mind is when you walked out of the trailer with Colin. You can't even describe it. Confused? Disappointed? Hurt? Whatever it was, you don't ever want to be the one that causes his face to look like that again.

When you finally pull into the drive to the B&B, you are more than a little surprised to see Taron's car parked there...and Taron leaning up against the driver's side door. He's got a baseball cap pulled low over his eyes and he's wearing the black silk shirt you were wearing earlier. You look over at Colin who has just parked the car and is now staring at Taron as well. Taron glances over at the two of you and your eyes meet.

"Well, thanks for the drink", you say turning to Colin. "It was, umm, nice to get out", you mutter in what you hope is a sincere voice. You are already half way out of the car when he finally speaks up.

"Yeah, no problem. Maybe we can have dinner next time", he says craning his neck to see you as you are climbing out of the car. You poke your head back in.

"Yeah...maybe. Well, thanks again. See you later!" You exclaim, and without waiting for a response, you exit the vehicle. You walk slowly over to Taron who has his hands in his pockets and is focused on something on the ground. As you approach him cautiously, he looks up at you. You're not even sure what to say, or if you should let him speak first. But when he doesn't, you decide to speak up. "What are you doing here Taron?" You've stopped directly in front of him, and you have to tilt your head down a little to see his eyes from under the cap. He looks at you for a moment, then pulls something from his back pocket and holds it out to you. You look down into his hand and see that he is holding your phone. You instinctively clutch at your bag, assuming it had been there the whole time.

"You left this at the studio", he says stoically and hands it over to you. You take it from him.

"Oh my God! I had no idea I left it. Thank you for bringing it to me! I can't believe I didn't realize I didn't have it", you say pressing the home button to see if you have any important missed calls or texts.

"How well do you know that guy?" You hear Taron ask. Your head immediately snaps up to look at him, but he is looking at Colin who is still sitting in the driveway. Your eyes follow Taron's, and as soon as Colin realizes he's been spotted, he quickly backs out of the drive. Taron's eyes track him down the street until he is out of view, then he turns his attention back to you. "Well?" He asks. "How well do you know him?" He repeats himself.

"Colin? Oh, I don't know. He stayed here at the B&B when I first arrived and we talked a bit one morning. Then he got me the job and I guess that was the last time I talked to him", you say recalling the memory. Taron laughs in a humorless way. You don't like this tone he is taking with you. It's unfamiliar and makes you feel anxious.

"First of all, you got yourself the job. Second, you're telling me you willingly got into a car with a guy you barely know, WITHOUT your phone?" He is staring hard into your eyes now and you feel the need to look away under his intense scrutiny. You try to laugh it off.

"I got in a car with you didn't I?" You say attempting to make a joke. Taron is not amused. His mouth is in a hard line and his forehead is creased. You stop smiling immediately in response and look down like a child being reprimanded. He shakes his head slightly.

"Huh. I really thought you were smarter than that", he says looking more serious than you've ever seen him. Actually, you've never seen him anywhere near this intense and you're not sure how to react to this new attitude of his. Honestly, his lack of faith in you has you a little annoyed.

"I'm a big girl Taron, I think I can take care of myself", you say crossing your arms and glaring right back at him now. "Besides, it was just drinks", you follow up with.

"You sure about that?" He asks in a challenging way. You tilt your head at him, trying to figure out what's really going on here. You don't know if it's the alcohol buzzing in your brain or this conversation, but your head is starting to spin.

"Are you...mad at me?" You ask matching his intensity. He doesn't speak again right away. After a few unbearable moments, he finally sighs and relaxes his features just a bit. You can actually see his shoulders physically drop.

"No, I just thought....", he trails off and you search his eyes. "I just thought that....", he stops again and looks down at the ground. You look up under his hat to find his eyes.

"You just thought what Taron?" You ask softly prompting him to go on. He removes his hat and runs a hand over his face and through his hair. You can see that he's frustrated. "Taron?" You ask again. He pulls his cap back down over his head, then looking at you, his face goes completely blank.

"Nothing, nevermind. I have to go", he says turning to the car door to open it.

"Taron!" You suddenly feel desperate to keep him there and you reach out to grab his arm to stop him. He freezes, then looks down at your hand on his arm. Looking back up at you, he waits for you to say something. Swallowing hard and gathering your courage, you pause a moment before speaking again. "Why did you look at me? During "Your Song"?" His eyebrows pull together as they so often do when he looks at you, and you see his jaw flex. Your heart is beating wildly in your chest as you wait for his answer. He looks so torn, like he wants to tell you something, but the words aren't coming. He takes a deep breath and lets it out in a rush of air. Then finally, he speaks.

"I don't know what you're talking about", he says coolly. You pull your hand away sharply as if it was burned. You can feel the tears welling up in your eyes, but you don't have to worry about him seeing because he is already getting into his car and pulling the door closed behind him. Without another glance at you, he starts the car and pulls out of the drive a little faster than necessary, then he disappears down the street and you are left staring after him...once again.


	12. Someone Saved My Life Tonight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Taron takes care of you when you're sick.

You wake up the next morning feeling stressed and anxious. Your interaction with Taron the night before was so different than anything you'd ever experienced with him, and you're not sure what to make of it. He was definitely upset, you just aren't exactly sure why. You had hoped he would call or text once he got home last night, but he hadn't. So you had endured a fitful night sleep, tossing and turning, and now you are just groggy, tired and frustrated. You assumed he wouldn't be picking you up this morning after your "altercation", so you are a little surprised when Julia calls up the stairs that a "fancy big car" has just pulled into the driveway. You take a quick glance at yourself in the tiny mirror in your room, grab your belongings and race down the stairs. You are a little out of breath when you reach the bottom and Julia smiles sweetly at you.

"Thanks Julia! Have a great day!" You call out as you leave the house.

"You too dear!" You hear her call back. When you see Taron's car, you slow your step just a bit, wondering what kind of mood he's going to be in this morning. You open the car door cautiously and peer inside. He is looking at his phone, but looks up at you as you take a seat inside the vehicle. He smiles politely at you.

"Good morning", you say softly.

"Morning", he says putting his phone away and grabbing the steering wheel. He looks over his shoulder as he backs the car out of the drive and you eye him warily. Is he just going to pretend yesterday didn't happen? After a few more minutes of silence, and once you've reached the main road, he finally speaks again. "Look, I'm sorry for yesterday", he says not taking his eyes off the road. You don't respond but continue to listen intently. "Your personal life is your business and I have no right to question it. We're just colleagues and I guess I over-stepped a bit. It won't happen again."

Just colleagues??? You don't know why this stings, but it does.

"Ok...", you respond when you think he's done. He glances over at you and gives you a tight smile that doesn't reach his eyes. You appreciate the fact that he's apologized, but it doesn't really make you feel any better. " Thanks for saying that", is all you can think of to say. He nods his head, and the rest of the car ride is spent in relative silence.

The day at the studio passes in much the same way. He makes simple conversation with you, but he just doesn't seem like his usual self. You want desperately to ask him why, but you can't get up the courage, so you take his lead and keep quiet.

Over the course of the next two weeks, nothing really changes. Taron picks you up in the mornings, you make small talk in the car and during the day, then he takes you home in the evenings. You are glad that the tension between you seems to be gone, but you aren't happy with what's left behind either. You feel like you are strangers again, and it leaves you with an empty hollow feeling. You haven't seen Colin since the night you went for drinks. He's texted you a few times, but the conversations have been short and you've been fine with that. You have been too busy to pay much attention to him anyway, even if you had wanted to.

They've been finishing up with the young Elton scenes; the Bluesology scenes, his early interactions with Bernie, and some of the other key moments before Elton became famous. Now they have moved on to the L.A. scenes and are focusing more on "location" filming. You've been traveling with the crew to various places around London and have had less time to sit around waiting and thinking than you normally do. Taron has been just as busy trying to keep up with everything, all while running lines and enduring endless costume fittings. The cast and crew have been pulling twelve to fourteen hour days to stay on schedule, and even if you and Taron had tried to have more interaction, you probably wouldn't have had time anyway.

At the end of the two weeks; the marathon days, lack of sleep and stress you've undergone finally catches up with you, and you feel the tell-tale signs of a nasty cold developing one morning upon waking. Your head is pounding, your throat is scratchy and your nose is completely stuffed up. Knowing you can't just "call in sick", you take some aspirin that Julia had in the kitchen, grab some tissues for your bag and suck it up. You make a mental note to stop by a pharmacy after work to get some real drugs. Taron notices your state of ill health right away when he picks you up that morning.

"Are you ok? You sound terrible", he asks concern in his voice.

"Yes, just a cold I think. I'll get some proper drugs after work today", you say blowing your nose. You notice that the car still isn't moving and you look over at him to see worried eyes looking back at you.

"Are you sure? Maybe you need to go back to bed. I can make your excuses..."

"No, I'll be fine. Besides, I don't want anyone else touching that face but me", you say with a smile and then immediately feel your face flush. Why in the hell would you say something like that to him?? The corner of his mouth pulls up in a little grin and you look away awkwardly. It's the first time you've seen that particular smile in two weeks.

"Ok, but I want you to let me know if you start to feel worse, promise?" He says eyeing you cautiously.

"Will do", you say crossing your fingers over your heart. Feeling somewhat satisfied, he finally pulls out of the driveway.

By the time the afternoon rolls around, you feel ten times worse and it's hard to hide it. You are now coughing, sneezing, and you're sure your nose is looking similar to a certain reindeer. Taron takes a break from one of his scenes and sees it immediately.

He takes the make-up brush that you have poised and ready out of your hand. "Ok, that's it. You're going home", he says ushering you over to the couch to sit.

"But we're not done yet", you protest. You know full well there's still several hours left to shoot today.

"No, but you are. I'm having my assistant drive you home", he says pulling out his phone to send her a text. You try to argue again, but you are just too worn out so you slump against the cushions instead waiting. "Ok, she'll be here in ten minutes and she's going to take you by the drug store on your way home", he says turning off his phone and setting it down. He then sits down next to you.

"But who's going to take care of you for the rest of the day?" You ask absent mind-idly fingering a strand of hair from the shaggy wig on his head. He watches you for a moment.

"We'll get it figured out. Just go home and rest so you can come back to me, ok?" He grasps your hand that is still messing with the wig and holds it between both of his hands and looks at you earnestly. And there he is, the old Taron from before it got weird. The softness of his eyes, the gentleness of his voice and the tenderness he's always showed you is suddenly right here in front of you. You smile up at him and give in.

"Ok Taron."

"Good girl. I have to go back to the set now, but let me know how you're doing later, ok?" He says finally removing his hands from yours.

"Ok, I will. Thank you." He doesn't say anything more, simply smiles and rises to leave the trailer. You sigh, watching him go and hoping that things really are back to normal again.

An hour later, you are back at the B&B having been driven home by Taron's assistant by way of the pharmacy. You picked up more tissues, cough drops and a cocktail of some rather heavy-duty cold medicines. You are hoping they will knock you out for at least eight hours, and that you will sleep it off and be better by morning.

After soaking in a warm bath with epsom salts, you are sitting in your room wearing a bathrobe over your pj's with your hair pulled loosely into a bun. You have your fuzzy slippers on and you're sipping a warm cup of tea that Julia made you when she realized you were feeling under the weather. Other than being sick, you really are quite comfortable. You have just downed another dose of the bitter medicine when you hear Julia call up the stairs to you.

"Deary, can you come down here for a moment?" She calls and you wonder what she might be wanting. Dragging yourself off the bed, you leave your room and pad down the stairs. You are halfway down, when you see the feet and legs of someone standing next to Julia in the front room. The face is obscured so you are confused as to who it might be, but figure it must be another guest. As you reach the bottom and his head comes into view, your eyes go wide and you feel your face flush for the second time today when you see Taron standing there. You instinctively pull your robe a little tighter and mentally strangle Julia for not telling you he was there.

"T-Taron...hi", you say frozen on the bottom stair. You notice Julia slinking away out of the corner of your eye.

"Hey you", he says smiling and you can't help but smile back. "You never let me know how you were doing so I thought I'd drop by."

"Oh, sorry." You had sort of thought that he was just saying that to be polite.

"And I brought these", he says holding out his hands. In one hand he is holding a paper bag and in the other, what looks to be two DVD cases. At your puzzled expression he explains. "Chicken soup...", he says holding out his left hand. "And The Kingsman movies!" There is a look of anticipation on his face that quickly changes to disappointment at your apparent expression. "They're my movies! You said you hadn't seen them?" Finally understanding, you speak.

"Oh, ok. Sorry, I guess I had forgotten what they were called. That was really nice of you", you say with a sniffle. He rolls his eyes at you but continues.

"Feel up to watching one? We don't have to if you're too tired", he says hesitating.

"No, I'm ok. My meds haven't kicked in yet. We can watch for a little while. There's a DVD player in the living area I think", you say gesturing in the direction of that room. He heads that way and you follow him feeling strange having him here. He sets the bag and the movies on the coffee table, then takes one of the DVD's to the player and puts it in. You find the remote and handing it to him, sit down on the couch. He takes it, then plops down next to you, working the buttons and concentrating on getting the machine to play. You watch him as he does this and smile to yourself. "How did the rest of today go?" You ask genuinely interested.

"Oh fine", he says distractedly. "We finished up a few hours after you left and Olivia took my stuff off."

"Oh..." You don't know why it bothers you so much when other people work on him. Job security maybe? "Well, hopefully I'll be back to normal tomorrow," you say.

"I hope so too", he says turning his full attention to you. "She also mentioned that we'll be needing to shave my head soon", he says with a terrified look in eyes. You've both known for awhile that his hairline would need to be shaved back and his hair thinned, but Taron has been nervous about it for quite some time. He's brought it up on more than one occasion. When you only nod your head since there is really nothing that can be done about it, he changes the subject. "Do you want your soup now?" he says reaching for it.

"I'm not very hungry, but maybe later", you say settling yourself in and pulling your legs up under you. You turn to the tv and watch the opening scene begin. "So what is this movie about?" You ask.

"Basically about spies, but you'll see", he says grinning and you can't help but smile back at him. You like how confident he is and how proud he seems to be of his accomplishments so far. It will be interesting to see him in a role that's completely unlike Elton. When he finally makes an appearance on the screen, you are surprised by how different he looks.

"Wow, you're so young. Just a baby!" You say turning to him.

"Yeah, it was awhile ago. My first movie", he explains.

"You were so cute!" You gush. Maybe the meds are starting to make you a little loopy.

"Were?" He says in mock offense. "What are you saying, that I'm not cute now?" He says placing a hand over his chest. You give him your best "are you kidding me?" look.

"No Taron, you are still cute. In fact, I'd go so far to say that you are pretty close to perfect." If you weren't so drugged up, you might feel embarrassed by your admission.

"Perfect? You really think so?" He asks seriously. You shake your head and roll your eyes.

"I don't really think it's a matter of opinion", you state. His smile finally touches his eyes again and you have to look away. It's like looking at the sun, but you've really missed that smile. "Let's just watch the movie, ok?"

"Sure thing boss", he replies. You lean your head back against the cushion and enjoy seeing Taron on the screen in front of you, and knowing the real life Taron is sitting next to you. You didn't think a spy movie would be your thing, but it really is quite good. However, halfway through the movie, you are starting to feel very groggy and your eyelids are beginning to droop. Taron notices and pauses the movie. "You ok love?" He asks turning to you.

"Yeah...just really sleepy all of the sudden. I think the meds finally kicked in, I can barely keep my eyes open."

"You need to rest, want me to help you up the stairs?" He asks.

"No, I don't want to move. I'm good here", you say letting your eyes drift closed.

"Ok, well, I'll leave you alone then. Let you get your rest", he says turning off the movie and shifting to get up.

"No, you don't have to go yet", you say opening your eyes and looking at him. "Can you stay here with me a little longer?" You're not sure why you want him to stay. Maybe it's the meds messing with your mind, maybe it's the comfort of having someone take care of you, or maybe it's just that you feel better when he's around. He sits back down a little closer to you this time.

"Sure thing love. I'll stay as long as you need me to", he says softly. You sigh in relief and let yourself relax a little more, however, the couch is not the most comfortable thing and you keep shifting to try and find a better position. Seeing this, Taron puts his arm around you and scoots even closer. "Here," he says patting his chest and indicating that you put your head against him. You look up into his eyes.

"I don't want to get you sick", you say. He laughs a little.

"If you haven't already, I don't think you will." And he pats his chest again. You give in and close the small distance between you so that you can reach his chest comfortably. Laying your head against him, he wraps his arm around you tighter and grasps your shoulder. You sigh and bring your hand around to lay loosely over his waist. You can feel the steady rhythm of his heartbeat and you are so relaxed right now, so content; but you feel the need to say something, even in your medicated state.

"Taron?" you ask without looking at him.

"Hmm?" is his reply.

"I'm glad we're friends again." You think you feel him stiffen slightly.

"We were always friends", he says in a low voice. There's a pause and then, "I just worry about you sometimes", he says gently.

"I know, but you don't have to worry about me. I have you to protect me." You don't even know what you are saying anymore, it's like the words are coming from somewhere outside yourself, but you're too doped up to care. You're not sure, but you think you can feel his heart beating a little faster than before. After a few more moments, you speak again. "Taron?"

"Yes love?" He says so quietly you can barely hear him.

"Sing to me?" You haven't been able to get his voice out of your head since the day they filmed "Your Song". You've barely heard him sing since and you are desperate to hear it again.

"Umm, sure. Any requests?" He asks.

"Whatever you want..." You are drifting. There's a pause and you think maybe he's changed his mind, then you hear him start up softly.

"When I think of those East End lights  
Muggy nights  
The curtains drawn in the little room downstairs"

You're not sure you recognize this song, but it sounds amazing coming from Taron anyway. You close your eyes and relax fully into him.

"Prima donna Lord you really should have been there  
Sitting like a princess perched in her electric chair"

You don't know what it is about hearing him sing, but it's like you are taken to another place far from this world. His voice is so smooth and inviting. You can feel the vibration of his chest as he sings softly but oh so powerfully.

"And it's one more beer  
And I don't hear you anymore"

You sigh heavily and you feel him tighten his hold on you just a bit.

"We've all gone crazy lately  
My friends out there rolling round the basement floor"

You know you should be giving into sleep, but you don't want to miss a single word coming from this man. His voice is simply, in a word, tantalizing.

"And someone saved my life tonight sugar bear  
You almost had your hooks in me didn't you dear  
You nearly had me roped and tied  
Altar-bound, hypnotized  
Sweet freedom whispered in my ear  
You're a butterfly  
And butterflies are free to fly  
Fly away, high away bye bye"

The last few words he sings are so quiet that you have to strain to hear them. You smile into the darkness and wrap your arm tighter around his waist as you snuggle into him. You feel him sigh against you, and as you finally start to let sleep take over, you feel his chest vibrate again and realize vaguely that he is talking. You open your eyelids halfway trying to concentrate on what he's saying. He is speaking in barely more than a whisper, but you think you can just make out your name and the words,

"I need to tell you something..."

You are far too drowsy to form coherent speech so your only response is a mumbled, "Hmm..."

"Nevermind", he whispers against the top of your head.

And as you slip away into unconsciousness, the melodious sound of his voice floats through your mind and body, carrying you away into a dreamless sleep.


	13. Tiny Dancer

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You are on the set of "Tiny Dancer" with Taron.

The sun streaming through the window the next morning wakes you. Eyes squinting, it takes you a minute to realize that you are on the couch in the living room and you are laying against...Taron? Yep, sure enough, you open your eyes all the way to reveal that your head is still slumped against his chest and your arm is draped loosely across his waist. You vaguely remember watching the movie last night and then suddenly becoming very sleepy. Had Taron been...singing at some point? You don't really remember falling asleep on him, but obviously you had. Was that your idea or his?? 

You move away quickly but carefully not wanting to create too much movement. Once you have pulled yourself away from his sleeping figure, you take him in with your eyes. His head is lolled back on the sofa cushions and the arm that was holding you is now slung over the back of it. His lips are parted slightly and you can see that he will definitely need a shave today since the stubble on that impressive jawline seems to have doubled overnight. The slow deep movement of his chest indicates he is still in a deep slumber, and his face looks very relaxed even with the awkward position his head is in. You can't help but smile as you let your eyes wander over every inch of his lovely face.

You wonder what time it is but you aren't wearing your watch and there's no clock in this room. You notice that Taron is wearing one on the arm that is hanging over the back of the couch so you reach over to look. Turning his wrist carefully, you see that it's 9:00 am. Shit! You are both scheduled to be at the studio today at 10:00 am. You hate to wake him when he's sleeping so peacefully, but it has to be done. You press your palm to his chest and nudge him slightly.

"Taron, it's time to wake up. We slept in", you say softly and prod him a little harder now. His eyelids finally flutter open and he glances around looking confused. When his eyes land on your face, he smiles and you suddenly wonder what state of disheveled mess you must be in.

"What time is it?" He asks, groggily running a hand over his face and hair making it stick up in all directions.

"9:00, we have to be at the studio at 10:00 and I still need to shower and I'm assuming you do too", you say pulling your robe tight and getting up from the couch.

"Right", he says stretching his arms over his head then looking over at you. "Hey, how are you feeling? You sound a lot better."

"Oh, yeah, better actually. I guess those meds really did do the trick." You had almost forgotten you were even sick. Although your head is starting to remind you a little at the moment. "I got some daytime medicine too, I'll take some of that today just in case", you add making a mental note not to forget.

"Good, I'm really glad", he says sincerely with a smile. You are distracted by it for a moment. How can he look this good first thing in the morning?

"Ok, we gotta move!" You say pulling him from the couch by his arm.

"Ok, ok, I'm moving!" He says with a yawn/laugh and makes his way slowly over to the door. "I'll just leave the movies here ok?" He says turning over his shoulder to look at you. "That way you can watch them whenever you start to miss me", he jokes with a wink.

"Like I have time to miss you, I'm with you all day Taron!" You say practically shoving him out the door.

"Ok, well try not to miss me too much until I come back to get you later", he calls out as he walks to his car.

"I don't think we have time," you call after him. You just go on and I'll grab a taxi", you say leaning out the door and trying not to show the whole neighborhood your bathrobe. At this he stops and whirls around to face you.

"But I always take you", he says looking like a sad little puppy. God, you really hate it when he looks like that.

"I know, but it'll be fine just this once, ok? I really need to go get ready... See you in a bit!" You close the door without waiting for a response, and then race up the stairs to get yourself ready at lightening speed.

An hour later, you are breezing through the trailer door at 9:59 am. You're not sure how you made it on time, especially with the cabby being late, but you made it. They are shooting the "Tiny Dancer" scene today, so everyone is meeting here at the studio to rehearse it a few times; then they'll pack up the supplies and head out on the thirty mile journey to Amersham where they'll be filming. They've already shot most of the interior shots here at the studio, so this will mostly be the outdoor shots around "Mama Cass'" home which was located in L.A. in real life. All you've been hearing about lately is this amazing place that Dex has found here in England, so you are excited to see yet another location that might remind you of home. The "TD" scenes are at night so they'll be spending the afternoon getting lighting, blocking and choreography perfected, then start filming as soon as the sun goes down.

You haven't see Taron yet and you're not sure you will until you reach the location site since the make-up artists and "talent" usually ride separately. After several hours go by, when the rehearsing is done and all the props, costumes, make-up and other necessities have been successfully packed up, you all pile into the rental vans provided for the cast and crew. Riding in your particular van is Lizzie of course, Bruce and Olivia and few other random people that you're not sure what their exact roles are. You settle yourself into the back of the van and pull out your phone to check emails on the way. Five minutes into the trip, you are feeling rather sluggish from the gentle rocking movement of the van, so you let your eyes close and rest your head against the headrest. You are still feeling the after-effects of your cold and a night of sleeping on the sofa, so you are not fully recovered yet. You are just starting to doze when you feel your phone buzz in your hand. Turning it over to see who is disturbing one of your only moments of peace, you smile inwardly and glance around the van when you see that it's Taron that has texted you. You slide open the text.

Taron: Hey you. Just making sure you made it ok since I haven't seen you.

You: Yep. In the van as we speak. Have you left yet?

Taron: Just now. Wish we could ride together. Also wish you would've let me drive you this morning. (mad face) Lol.

You: I know. But I think it worked better this way. Also, we can't ride together because you are the "talent" and I'm the lowly make-up person. Lol.

Taron: Will you stop saying that? I don't care if you are joking. I don't like it.

You: Ok, sorry.

Taron: How are you feeling?

You: Ok I guess, just tired still. Sleeping on the couch probably wasn't the best idea.

Taron: Hmm, odd. It was one of the best night's sleep I've had in a long time. (smiley face)

You: Well I'm glad, since it's more important that you get a good night's rest anyway.

Taron: (rolling eyes emoji)

You: (big smiley face)

When he doesn't respond after that, you text...

You: Ok, well I'm gonna try and rest a little before we get there. See ya soon.

Taron: (kiss face)

You are little surprised by that choice of emoji, but you don't give it much more thought. You lay your head back again and close your eyes to try and relax before you are thrown into the madness of the filming world again.

Before you know it, then van is pulling into a long wooded drive and then stops. Everyone starts to pile out and you follow, grabbing your make-up supplies from the back. You look around in amazement. You are standing in what looks to be a full-on replica of Laurel Canyon, the mountainous neighborhood of Hollywood Hills. If you didn't know any better, you'd think you'd been magically transported there in the thirty minute drive from the studio. Anyone from L.A. knows this historically famous area, and you once again marvel at Dex's imagination and his ability to bring something from across the ocean to life here on this little island.

As you're looking around and taking in your surroundings, you finally spot Taron about 100 yards away talking with some crew members and Jamie Bell who plays Bernie Taupin. The way you understand it, this scene takes place after the Troubadour scene, and Bernie has fallen for an American girl. Elton watches longingly from afar, wanting to find a connection like that, as he dramatically sings "Tiny Dancer". You can see a wrap-around porch attached to an elaborate cabin just beyond where they are standing, and it looks so real you honestly don't know if it's a set or genuine.

The crew has been setting up tents, tables, chairs and lights; and you are directed to a tent that will serve as your make-up station. You head that way with your belongings and begin to set out everything you'll need to once again transform Taron into Elton. As you work, you notice that it's unseasonably chilly tonight and you curse yourself for leaving your jacket back at the studio.

A little while later, Taron comes sauntering over to the tent to join you. He is all smiles and you can tell that he is thrilled about being back in his element.

"Hi", you say to him as you rub your arms with your hands trying to warm yourself. His face drops immediately.

"Cold?" he asks crossing over to you.

"Yeah, I didn't think it would be cool tonight and I left my jacket back at the studio", you explain.

"Well that's not good, especially when you're getting over a cold", he says with concern. He replaces your hands with his own, rubbing your arms up and down creating friction. The sensation is soothing, tender and electrifying all at once.

You smile up at him, and realizing you can't stand here like this forever you say, "Are you excited about this scene?" His face lights again and his hands move to your hands cupping them between his palms.

"Yes! I'm so ready to start filming. I've really been looking forward to it", he says practically bounding. You laugh at him.

"Ok, well sit down so I can get you ready so you can start!" You say laughing too. He lets go of you and as always, the loss of his contact makes you feel a little empty.

You apply his wig and make-up expertly, although without a mirror it is a little more challenging. After what seems like the hundredth time you've turned him into Elton, you step in front of him to examine your work and feel satisfied that he is properly "made-up".

He gives you a heartfelt, "Thanks love!" Then he's off again. You pack your case back up and then head off in the direction of the larger tent that has been set up for the extras. There are many of them today for this particular scene so you've been instructed to help with them as soon as you're done with Taron. So that's what you set off to do.

The next couple of hours fly by as you apply make-up and fix the hair of extra after extra. When they are all finally off and taking their places for the scene, you decide to try and find Taron in case he needs a touch up. You finally see him on the porch of what is indeed another magnificent set made to look like an elaborate mountainside home. You walk over to him, case in hand and when he sees you, he smiles.

"There you are!" he beams at you. "I've been looking for you, I found this..." He walks over to a nearby bench and grabs a black zip up jacket. He ambles over to you and slips it over your shoulders, and you push your arms through. The warmth is exhilarating.

"Thanks, but who's is it? I don't want to just be stealing someone's jacket'', you say looking around. Taron laughs.

"It's mine silly. I thought I had stashed one with some of the costumes and sure enough, here it is", he says as he pulls your hair out from underneath the collar. His fingertips brush the side of your neck and it gives you chills.

"Oh, ok. Well thanks again." Then, remembering why you came over in the first place, "You probably need a touch up", you say digging out your big fluffy make-up brush. Dusting it into some powder, you lightly sweep it all over his face. Then you adjust his wig slightly and comb through it with a large pick. He is looking around distractedly as you do this. "You ok?" You ask him. He directs his attention back to you.

"What? Me? Oh, yeah. I'm good. Just ready to get this started", he says looking around again. There is a lot of activity going on around here and it seems to be making him a little anxious.

"Hey", you say softly catching his attention as you press your palms against his chest. "You're going to be great, the scene is going to be great." You give him a reassuring smile as he looks deep into your eyes. You see his features relax a bit and he reaches out to give you a friendly side hug.

"Thanks love", he says gently squeezing your shoulder. "You always know what to say to help put me at ease", he adds and gives you a winning smile.

"I didn't really say much, but looks like you don't have to wait much longer." You gesture over to Dex and the camera crew that look like they are just about ready to start. Taron touches the tip of his finger to your nose, smiles again, then takes off toward Dex. You smile after him, then find a place amongst the treeline to watch where you will be out of the way.

Not long after, Dex yells, "Action!" and a hush falls over the crowd as you hear the music pick up from somewhere and Taron begins his performance.

Taron is surrounded by extras and randomly placed candles and hanging lights, as he starts the beginning chords of the song. He is leaning against the porch railing watching Jamie and the pretty young actress that is playing his love interest. There is a look of longing and loneliness on Taron's face as he watches them and you are reminded what a talented actor, not to mention singer, he actually is. He turns and walks into the "house" as cameras follow him, and he is gone from your view for a few moments. He comes out on the other end of the porch and your eyes track him as he turns and goes back in the direction he originally came from. After a few more verses, he steps off the porch into the yard full of more people and more lights. He takes a few more steps, then sits down on a tree stump in front of a fire and continues to sing as he watches the two lovers from a distance. The embers from the fire are dancing in front of him the way Jamie and the girl are dancing a few feet away, and the bright orange flames are casting an ethereal glow on Taron's face. Once again, you are mesmerized by him as you stand in awe watching him from the sidelines. When he has finished the song, you hear Dex yell, "Cut!" and a crew member claps the clapboard together in front of Taron's face. Dex comes over to him and the two of them start to converse. You are still watching Taron intently, trying to make out what they are saying, when you suddenly hear a deep Scottish drawl next to you.

"Amazing, isn't he?" The voice says making you jump a little. You turn to your right to see Richard Madden standing next to you watching Taron as well. Sometimes you forget how attractive he is and it causes you to pause a moment before answering.

"Taron?" You ask obviously knowing who he is referring to. He turns to look at you and nods his head smiling at you. "Yes, he is. So amazing that I almost forget he's Taron and I think I'm watching Elton instead", you add. Even in the dark, the blue of Richard's eyes is stunning. He turns back to look at Taron again.

"I agree, it's uncanny really", he says watching him talk to Dex.

"Yes, it's really quite strange actually", you say turning back toward Taron as well.

"How do you mean?" Richard asks looking at you.

"Well, I mean, he and I have grown pretty...I mean, we spend a lot of time together...in the make-up trailer I mean. So I feel like I know him somewhat, and when I'm done with his hair and make-up, he's still Taron. When I talk to him, he's Taron. But then, when he steps in front of the camera, he IS Elton", Richard's grin has widened when you turn back to him and you realize you've been eyeing Taron the whole time you've been talking. "Sorry, I'm rambling...", you apologize.

"No, I know exactly what you mean. And I agree completely", he says making you feel a little less like a bumbling idiot. At that moment, he looks back over at Taron who has now spotted Richard. As their eyes meet, Taron breaks out into a huge smile and stands. The two men walk to each other and embrace and it warms your heart to witness it. You love how Taron is not afraid of a little male affection, and Richard seems to be the same way. When they finally break contact, they speak in hushed excited tones, like they are sharing some inside joke for no one but themselves to enjoy. You observe them freely, and only feel slightly guilty that you might be witnessing a private moment. You know they are to be filming a sex scene tomorrow and you wonder if this has anything to do with their present conversation.

Suddenly, they both turn and look directly at you, a little smile playing on Richard's face. You freeze staring wide-eyed at them before looking quickly at the ground. Feeling mortified, you busy yourself with your make-up case. After a few moments have passed, you glance back at them to see Taron clap the other man on his back, before Richard walks toward the house. Taron then turns to you, smiles and winks. You can't help but smile back, then briefly wonder how many times you can make a fool of yourself in one day, as he turns to head in the same direction as Richard.

As you watch him go, you hear a throat clear behind you and you are startled again. You turn to see Olivia standing behind you. Olivia with her perfectly coiffed pixie cut hairdo. Olivia who always seems to have a scowl on her flawlessly made up face. Olivia who has never particularly warmed to you for whatever reason.

"Oh, hi Olivia. Everything ok? Am I needed with the extras?" You want to make sure you're doing whatever you can to make her happy, if that's even possible.

"No, I was just finishing up with Richard and couldn't help but notice you standing there", she states. Is she going to suggest that you are goofing off?

"Oh...ok?" You say in more of a question than a statement. You shove your hands in the pockets of the jacket and balance from foot to foot waiting to see if she's going to speak again. A sly smile forms on her pretty mouth.

"So, you and Taron, have grown, close huh?" She asks slowly. Oh God, how long was she standing there? Had she heard your conversation with Richard?

"Well, I don't know about close", you stammer. "I mean, we are together a lot, you know...since I'm his make-up artist..." You know you are stating the obvious and don't know what else to say so you stop talking, waiting for her to reply. After what feels like an eternity, she finally speaks but barely.

"Mmm hmm", she says, then looks you up and down and you suddenly wish desperately that you weren't wearing his jacket. "Be careful there", and with that she turns on her heel and walks back toward the tents. You follow her with your eyes for a few seconds, then turn back toward the direction Taron has just walked. You find his retreating form as he reaches the "house", and a cold feeling of sadness and despair washes over you.


	14. Big Fluffy Pillow Lips

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You and Taron discuss his upcoming big scene.

Needing a moment to yourself, you head off in the direction of the vans and pray that yours is unlocked. It is, and slipping inside, you crawl to the back and sit in the dark silence. Why did Olivia say what she said? "Be careful there." What does that even mean? Is she implying that something is going on between you and Taron that shouldn't be? Is she saying that Taron is a bad guy and you need to be careful? You can't imagine that either one of those scenarios is correct because: A. There is nothing going on between you and Taron. Yes, you have become friendly throughout the course of working together, but that's it, you are just friends. And B. There is no way you would ever believe that Taron could be anything close to a "bad guy". But you know that having an "intimate" relationship with him, or anyone on set, would be frowned upon if not downright cause for termination; so you figure she must be referring to your apparent closeness that she has observed. Ok then, you'll just have to watch that from now on. No more hugging in public, no more borrowing his clothes, no more of anything that could be construed as anything other than typical colleague behavior. You should feel satisfied by this decision, but it only makes you feel more depressed. As obviously noted before, Taron is a very affectionate guy and he won't understand your decision to make your relationship purely professional, especially after everything that has happened already.

Your phone buzzes at this moment and you see that it is a text from Lisa. You haven't talked to her in several days and you feel guilty about the lack of communication. You slide open the text to read it.

Lisa: Hey girl, haven't talked to you in forever. Can we talk on the phone when you get a sec?

She usually doesn't request phone calls so you wonder what is going on.

You: Sure, if it's not too late tonight when I'm done on set I'll give you a call. K?

Lisa: Ok, please do. (kiss face)

You: Everything ok?

Lisa: Yes, just need to talk.

You: (thumbs up)

Odd, you think. But alright.

Deciding you can't hide in this van forever, you climb out and walk back over to the make-up tent to wait for further instructions. You can see from your viewpoint that Taron and Richard are filming a scene sitting on the porch, so you head over to the extras' tent to help with them. After another hour or so, you are feeling pretty worn out when you hear Dex yell, "That's a wrap!" Thank God. You finish up with the young man you are working on, removing the last of his make-up, then head to the tent where you will help Taron get out of his get-up. When you reach the tent, you see that he is already out of costume and waiting on you, attempting to remove his wig himself.

"Hey, that's my job", you call over to him when you are about ten paces away.

"Sorry love, just trying to get out of here as soon as possible", he says looking over at you and dropping his hands.

"What's the rush?" You ask as you lift the wig from his scalp and remove it successfully.

"A few of us are going over to this pub nearby to grab a pint. Wanna come?" He says and flashes you a huge grin. As always, you can't help but smile back at him, but then, remembering what Olivia had said, your face falls.

"Oh, I really shouldn't Taron. It's late and I'm tired..." You don't finish the sentence when you see his smile disappear.

"Oh," he says and looks down at his hands. God, he looks so disappointed and you really hate that it's you that is making him look that way. His head pops back up.

"Still not feeling well?" He asks in anticipation.

"No", you lie. You are actually feeling just fine other than being tired, and would love the opportunity to "hang" with him and some of the other cast and crew in a social situation. But after what Olivia said to you, you just don't think it's a good idea.

"I'm sorry to hear that. Well, go home, take some medicine and get some rest, ok? I need you to make sure you are taking care of yourself," he says with a gentle smile.

"Ok Taron", you agree and go to work removing the rest of his make-up without another word spoken between you.

After he is done and everything is put away, the two of you walk out of the tent together before he heads off with Richard (who has brought his own vehicle), Jamie and a few other cast and crew members; and you head in the direction of the vans.

"See you tomorrow?" He asks with a touch of sorrow in his voice as you part ways for the evening.

"Absolutely", you answer and put on your best fake smile. As you turn, you remember his jacket. "Oh, your jacket", and you start to remove it.

"No," he says a little abruptly and holds out his palm. "You keep it for tonight, it's still cold and I don't want you to get any worse." Then he walks over to you and zips it up to your chin. You look around apprehensively to see if Olivia is within viewing distance, but you don't see her. You look back at Taron and decide not to argue with him this time.

"Thank you," you respond, then move away from him to go to the waiting vans. As you are walking away, you turn your head to glance back in his direction one last time and you're surprised to see him still standing where you left him, watching you go. His hands are in his jeans pockets and he looks so lost and alone. When he catches you looking, he turns away and walks in the other direction. You sigh, then walk the rest of the way to your van and settle yourself inside, feeling so incredibly guilty and you're not even sure why. On the ride back to the studio, you consider texting Taron to apologize for not joining him tonight, but decide against it.

An hour later, you are back at the B&B after having to call a taxi for the second time today. You have really gotten used to Taron driving you so taking a taxi twice today has been a little bit of a let-down. After grabbing a bite to eat in the kitchen, washing your face and changing into your pj's; you crawl into your bed feeling very unsettled. You lay down in the dark and try to sleep but your mind won't stop racing. You keep going over what Olivia said to you, and what it meant exactly. You want to talk to Taron about it, but even if you weren't hesitant about bothering him right now, you wouldn't know how to broach the subject anyway.

After staring at the ceiling for twenty minutes, you remember promising to call Lisa. Looking at your bedside clock you see that it's midnight here, only 4:00 pm back home, so you decide that it'll be fine to call her now. You pick up your phone to dial her number, but a text from Taron flashes across the screen before you get the chance. Your heart races for a moment and you briefly wonder why. Sliding it open, you read.

Taron: Hey, you still up?

You: Yes, couldn't sleep. What's up? Still at the pub?

Taron: No. Can you chat for a bit?

You: Umm, sure.

You sit up in your bed and reach over to turn the light on.

Taron: Ok, can you come outside? I don't want to wake your landlady.

You are suddenly very confused. Come outside? He couldn't be, could he? You get up and pad out to the hall where there is a small window that overlooks the front yard. Peering through it, sure enough, you can see Taron's car sitting in the drive. You take a moment to think it through, then go back to your room and not wanting to have a repeat of the other night, quickly change out of your pj's and into jeans, a t-shirt and flip flops. As you are leaving the room, you notice his jacket slung across the back of chair. Grabbing it, you slip it on and smile as you put your hands in the pockets. Then you creep quietly down the stairs and out the front door.

Taron has his window rolled down and is looking at his phone when he sees you approach the vehicle. He sets his phone down on the console and smiles over at you as you open the door and climb in beside him. He's wearing the same navy button down shirt and jeans you saw him in earlier, but he's added a blue baseball cap.

"Hey, I thought you were ignoring me", he says all smiles.

"Not at all, just wanted to change", you say as he eyes your outfit.

"Ah, thought I was going to get another look at that ratty old bathrobe", he says with a wink. "But this works too, glad to see you are staying warm", he says fingering the zipper on his jacket that you're wearing.

"Hey, I happen to like that ratty old bathrobe. Just thought the neighbors didn't need to see it again" you say with a wide grin.

He grins back. "Feeling better? Why aren't you sleeping?" he asks the concern back in his voice.

"Because I'm out here with you?" You say sarcastically. He lifts one eyebrow at you and your breath catches. "I tried to sleep, couldn't shut my mind off", you explain.

"Oh? What's on your mind?" he asks.

"Nothing much, just something Olivia said to me earlier." You immediately wish you hadn't said that. You aren't sure you want to go down that path just yet.

"Do tell..." he says looking at you interested.

"Nah, it's nothing really. So, what about you? Why aren't you sleeping, or better yet, still at the pub?" You ask hoping to change the subject.

"Oh, just had the one pint. Wasn't really feeling it so I decided to head out."

"Ok, and you decided to come...here?"

"Yeah, not sure why. Something just kind of directed me here. I missed you at the pub and wanted to see if you were feeling better and I don't know...just felt like chatting a bit." You are flattered by his admission and you're not sure what to say. "Is that ok?" He adds.

"Of course it is. But, you could have used the phone", you say jokingly but you notice his face falls.

"Oh, I'm sorry. Want me to go?" He asks with a crestfallen look.

"No, it's fine. Really. I was joking", and you give him a big smile so he knows that you truly were. He relaxes a little, but then sighs heavily at looks out his window. You reach over and touch his arm. "You ok?" You are really starting to learn his little "tells" when something is bothering him.

"Yeah, I'm good", he says turning back to you but you are not convinced.

"Thinking about the, erm, sex scene tomorrow?" He's always so unsure of himself when it comes to portraying Elton in these integral scenes, although you have no idea why, so you figure his current mood must have to do something with that.

"Yeah, a little", he confirms. "But not because of what you probably think."

"You're not nervous about filming a sex scene with another man?" You ask hesitantly. It's a little awkward talking to him about this.

"Not because it's with another man, no. I mean, filming a sex scene with anyone is a little nerve-wracking. I'm actually glad it's with Rich, he's a great guy and I feel really comfortable with him. I think I'll feel more relaxed with him than I would with just some random woman", he says with a nervous chuckle.

"Well that's good I guess. So then, what's the problem?" You ask directly.

"It's hard to explain...", he trails off looking out the window again. You place your hand gently on his shoulder turning him back to you.

"Taron, try? Please?" You say pleading with him with your eyes. He turns back to you, lifts your hand from his shoulder and places a soft kiss on the back of your knuckles. You shiver involuntarily.

"Well, I don't know how to act...like a woman", he tries to explain. You must have a confused expression on your face because he attempts to clarify, "That didn't sound right. Traditionally, women have been seen, at least in the movie industry, as more of the submissive role in a relationship. Whether that's accurate or not, it's usually the man that makes the first move you know? Maybe not so much now, but probably more so back then. And I see Elton as more of the submissive role in this relationship, with John Reid taking the lead, especially since this is his first experience with another man. And as a heterosexual male, I'm not sure how to "act" in that way. Does that make sense? I feel like I just insulted women, Elton and probably you all at once", he laughs nervously looking up at you under dark eyelashes.

"No, I think I know what you mean. It is usually men who make the first move in the movies, and I would say probably more than 50% of the time in the real world, and you're trying to figure out how a woman would react to a man coming on to her when she's unsure how she feels?" He smiles brightly at you.

"See, I knew you'd get it. Yes, that's exactly what I mean. So how would you act for example, if a guy like that was making a move on you and you were excited, but maybe a little apprehensive at the same time?"

You put your finger to your lips and pretend to think. "Hmm, so you're asking me to imagine making out with Richard Madden? I don't know Taron, that's asking a lot", you say biting your lip and grinning at him.

"Oh stop it. I'm being serious", he says playfully squeezing your knee. You squeal and bat his hand away.

"Sorry, but you kind of walked into that one", you say giggling.

"Yes I know. Richard is a dreamboat with his big fluffy pillow lips and Frank Sinatra blue eyes", he says rolling his own eyes.

"Actually, I'd say they're more of an ocean baby blue", you say sighing in a dreamy way. And with that, he reaches out and digs his fingers into your ribs trying to tickle you. You scream a little louder than intended and grab his hands trying to pry them away from your body. "Ok, Taron! I'm sorry! Stop, please! Richard is the ugliest man I've ever seen!" You say laughing and squealing the whole time. He finally lets go of you and you are both breathing heavily and shaking with laughter.

"Ok, but seriously", he says still smiling. "Help me! What do I do?" He asks sincerely again. You clear your throat and straighten your rumpled clothing.

"Ok, let's see. I have to really think about this Taron, it's been a long time since I've been in that situation", you admit.

"I find that hard to believe", he says narrowing his eyes.

"Well, believe it because it's true. Sad, but true", you say honestly.

"Ok...well, we'll revisit that later, but for now, just try?" He asks, green eyes imploring you and as usual, you find him hard to resist.

"Ok", you say, closing your eyes and trying to imagine the scenario he's suggesting. It really has been quite awhile since anyone has tried or even wanted to kiss you. Actually since Anthony, your six month fling that broke your heart a year ago. Now that you really think about it, it is truly very sad. You refocus and try to imagine a faceless man in front of you, but it's Taron's face you see instead. Probably because you know he is sitting right next to you. You let out a breath and imagine this man looking at you, wanting you, and think about what you would do in that situation. You open your eyes slowly to see that Taron's elbow is propped up on the armrest, chin in hand, watching you intently. You gasp a little at his closeness and swallowing hard you say, " Well, I would probably act a little coy in the beginning..."

"Coy?" He asks. "Like playing hard to get?"

"Yes, in a way. Like, I wouldn't want him to know that I was interested. At first. So I might look away, not look directly at him. You know, seem a little distant?" You try and explain.

"Ahh, so you're a game player huh?" He asks with a smirk.

"No, not a game player", you say slightly offended. "Just playing it cool", you say matter-of-factly.

"Got it, go on", he says eyes sparkling.

"Then, I might go ahead and look at him...a little deeper. A little closer", you say inadvertently leaning closer to Taron. He slowly nods his head that is still propped in his palm. "I'd look into his eyes and give him a little smile, not too much. I might touch him, on his arm or shoulder to let him know I was ok with physical contact. I would wait for him to make the first move though, guess I'm old school in that way, but I would let him know with my body language that I wanted him to."

"How?" He croaks out in a quiet voice.

"I might lean my body into him, just enough to let him know I was interested. I'd probably tilt my head to the side just a bit, hoping that he would get the hint that I wanted him to kiss me. Then I'd move even closer to him, still looking into his eyes. Maybe look down at his lips, imagining what they would feel like on mine", you touch your lips with your fingertips as you say this. You can see his adam's apple bob as he swallows. "And then...", you say closing your eyes again and imagining being in the moment.

"Yes?" Taron asks huskily. Your faces are so close together now, you can feel his warm breath on your cheek and smell the slight scent of the beer he drank earlier. You let your eyelids flutter open to find him inches away, his own eyelids half closed.

"I'd let him kiss me", you sigh imagining the sweetness of it. You pull back a little to observe his reaction to what you've said but he doesn't speak right away.

"Wow...just...wow", is all he finally says and you have to giggle a little. He leans back into his seat and stares out the window in front of him and you are little perplexed at his reaction. He removes his hat and runs a hand through his hair before replacing it.

"Does that help? At all?" You ask now feeling a little sheepish for going on like that.

"Umm, yeah, sure", he says turning back to you. "Thanks" he says and attempts a smile. You frown immediately.

"Did I say something wrong?" You ask full of regret now.

"No, not at all", he says placing a hand on your knee. "I guess I just wasn't expecting...nevermind." The car is quiet for a few moments then he speaks again. "I guess it's pretty late huh? Big day tomorrow...", he trails off and you get the hint.

"Yeah, I guess I better be going", you say still confused and turn to leave the vehicle.

"I'll walk you to your door", he says as an afterthought. He meets you on his side of the car, and the two of you walk to the door of the B&B in silence. When you reach the house, you turn to face him, your back to the door.

"You sure you're ok? I didn't say something...bad?" You don't even know what else to say.

"No, of course not", he says granting you a tiny smile. "Thank you, it actually really helps. More than you know..." And there's that look again. Pain, confusion, what???

"Taron, what's wrong? Please tell me", you plead with him. He looks agonizingly down into your eyes and it makes you want to cry. Then, he brushes your cheek with his knuckles and rests his palm against the side of your face. He brings his other hand up to caress your other cheek and your heart begins to pound wildly. He leans in close, and Olivia's words flash through your mind as your palms instinctively go to his chest in a weak effort to push him away. When his face is practically touching yours, he pauses, then leans up to plant a delicate kiss against your forehead. He lingers there for a moment letting his lips graze your skin, and when he pulls away, the aching look in his eyes is almost more than you can bare. "Taron?" You whisper. He lowers his hands from your face and takes a step back.

"Goodnight love", he whispers back. Then he turns to leave you standing there, and you are left wondering just how many times you are going to watch him walk away from you.


	15. Can't Fight This Feeling

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You go to Taron's apartment to shave his head.

The car ride to the studio the next day is spent in relative silence. You can't speak for Taron, but you didn't get much sleep last night. You were tossing and turning thinking about Olivia's words, and also Taron's strange reactions the night before. You saw on the schedule in your email this morning that Lizzie is wanting his head shaved tomorrow, so between that and the big love scene today, you're sure Taron has a lot on his mind as well. You don't really feeling like bringing up either subject at the moment, so nothing much is said at all.

After getting him ready and telling him to "break a leg", you are left alone in the make-up trailer to wait for him to be done with the scene. You consider calling Lisa, but seeing that it's still the middle of the night back home, you decide against it.

After a few hours of being bored out of your mind, you notice that a few of Taron's clothes are hanging on the clothing rack. This is where he usually discards them before getting ready and sometimes forgets to pick them back up. They are mainly short sleeve button down shirts and a few t-shirts. Having nothing else to do, you decide to walk them down to his trailer to put them there so that they can make their way back to his place.

His trailer is only a few yards away, and although you've passed it many times, you've never actually been inside since there's never really been a need. It suddenly occurs to you that it may be locked and you may have made a wasted trip down here, however, upon trying the door, you find it to be unlocked. You step inside and look around. There is a small closet directly to your left, which you open and finding a few hangers, proceed to hang up the shirts. You know you should probably leave now, but the curiosity of looking around a "movie star's" trailer is just too enticing. To your right is a small kitchenette with a mini fridge, microwave and coffee maker. Stepping further inside, you see a tiny living space occupied only by a small couch and chair opposite it. Off to the right of the living area, you can see a bedroom that is just as small with what looks like a standard size bed inside. Must be nice if Taron ever wants to catch a few winks between takes. On the other side of the living area is a bathroom that doesn't look much bigger than the hall closet, and next to that, a little seating area with a counter top and three-way mirror sitting on top. There isn't much else to see so you turn around ready to exit the trailer. As you are opening the door, Taron comes bursting through it and practically runs right into you. You stop just short of slamming into him by bracing your hands against his chest. Your palms land on squishy plush material and you realize that he is wearing a soft fluffy bathrobe that falls to his calves, and nothing else. Well, he does have slides on his feet.

"Oh hey!" He exclaims looking just as surprised to see you as you are of him.

"H-hi", you stammer pretending not to notice he's only wearing a bathrobe. "Done filming already?" You ask.

"No, just came back to get my glasses", he says breezing past you to the counter where the "Elton" glasses are laying. He quickly grabs them, then shuffles back to the door. Then, almost as an afterthought he turns and says, "What are you doing in here?"

"Oh, I just brought some of your shirts back", you say lazily pointing toward the closet door as if that explains everything. He glances in that direction.

"Oh, ok. Well, I gotta get back", he says turning to the door. Then, he whirls back around to face you again. "Actually, I'm glad I ran into you", he says fiddling with the glasses.

"Oh?" You say expectantly.

"Yeah, so you know I'm supposed to have my head shaved tomorrow", he says with a pained expression.

"Yeah, I know", you respond plainly.

"Well, I want YOU to do it", he says, green eyes searching yours.

"Oh, Taron. I don't know. I think Lizzie wants to take charge of that", you say to him shaking your head. The email didn't say this for sure, but you would imagine she would want to do it herself.

"Please", he begs with his eyes. Well Damn. "You're the only one I trust to do it", he says as he lifts your hand with his free one and brings it to his chest. You feel the softness of the robe, and your fingers brush against his fine chest hairs peeking through.

"Ok", you say simply. Why you even bother to argue anymore is beyond you at this point. He gives your hand a quick squeeze, then releases it.

"Thanks love", he says sincerely. Then he's out the door and gone again.

A few hours later, having only filmed that one scene today, you are back in the car with Taron and headed home to the B&B by 5:00. He is still rather quiet and you are starting to wonder what's going on in his mind. Feeling uncomfortable in the strange silence, you decide to ask him about his day.

"How did the scene go?" You ask looking over at him.

"Pretty good I think", he says glancing in your direction before looking back at the road. "It felt pretty natural, and we took it as far as it could go really", he says staring straight ahead. You nod your head not really knowing what that means. When he doesn't elaborate, you don't push. Then you see something pass over his face as he says, "Hey, want to grab a pizza or something?" You freeze, remembering Olivia's words again. Then, an idea comes to you and you relax a bit.

"Ok, but can we get it delivered to your place? I'm tired and don't feel like being around other people, and we have guests at the B&B right now", you use as an excuse. His face brightens and he looks over at you.

"Sure, but I'm going the wrong way", and he looks in the rearview mirror apparently looking for an opportunity to turn around.

"No, that's ok. Go ahead and take me home first then I'll meet you there. I just need to change and grab a few things." He frowns looking confused.

"I can just wait for you..."

Uggh, why does he make things so difficult sometimes?

"Well, I need to call my friend anyway. I've been meaning to call her for awhile now." This is true, but sadly you have no intention of calling Lisa tonight, as you are now on a mission. "I should be there by 6:00, ok? Just give me your address", you say trying convince him.

"Ok...", he says still puzzled, but he drives you the rest of the way home.

When you get to the B&B and after he's given you his address and reluctantly left you, even after you've promised you'll be there soon, you quickly change into jeans and a t-shirt. Then you promptly call a taxi and wait impatiently for it to arrive. You instruct the cabbie to stop at a nearby drugstore to pick up your needed supplies. On the way to the check-out, you impulsively grab a bottle of blue colored vodka, then hurry to pay for your purchases. Once back in the taxi, you give Taron's address to the driver and wait nervously the rest of the way there.

Pulling up to the elaborately styled apartment building, you head inside, straight to the elevator and push the number Taron instructed you with. You watch the numbers light in anticipation until it reaches the top and you hear the ding signaling you have arrived at your destination. Stepping out, you look to the left and right, and see the only door in this hallway and assume it must be his. You take a deep breath and ring the bell. Taron answers almost immediately and smiles brightly at you. Then looking down at your hands full of bags, frowns and looks back up at you.

"Hi!" You say a little more enthusiastically than you mean to. "So, I brought this...", you say handing him a plastic bag. Looking into it, he pulls out a box containing fancy electric clippers and a pair of hair cutting scissors you bought. His face falls and you know you don't even have to explain. "And this!" You hand him a brown paper bag with the vodka. His face lifts a little and he looks down at you with an embarrassed expression. "I thought if we have to shave your head, we might as well do it here where you feel more comfortable, and the alcohol is just to make it a little easier to bare?" You say smiling up at him. He finally smiles back at you.

"Alright, if we must," he says ushering you inside. He closes the door behind you and walks into the kitchen with you following behind. You take in your surroundings as you go. His apartment is nicely furnished with a minimalist modern touch. A love seat sits in the living room with two plush chairs flanking either side of it. You see a hallway off to the side that must lead to a bedroom and bathroom, and the kitchen is all white marble and glass. A little stuffy in your opinion, but what do you know? You can hear 80's music playing softly from somewhere, and his taste in music makes you smile.

"Nice apartment", you say as he sets down the bags on the kitchen counter.

"Thanks. I'm just renting it until the film is done. It was already furnished and it's close to the studio so it works out well", he explains.

Ah, that makes sense.

"So, I brought out wine...but this works too", he says unscrewing the cap from the bottle. He takes down two tumblers from a cabinet.

"Just a little for me", you say putting your hand out as he pours. "I am going to be shaving your head after all."

"Right", he says and stops pouring when your glass is only a quarter of the way full. "Pizza should be here soon", he says handing you the glass.

"I have no idea what this is", you say eyeing the tumbler. "It just looked pretty", you say and looking at him, you take a swig. The liquid is fruity and burns your throat going down, but it's not too bad. He gulps down his glass that was filled quite a bit fuller than yours, never taking his eyes off you, then pulls a face.

"Well, that's...interesting", he says but pours himself another glass. The doorbell rings then, and he sets the glass down and walks to the door. After a few seconds he is back with the pizza in hand. After gathering plates and napkins, the two of you sit at the massive kitchen bar to eat. You feel odd being here in his home like this. You're not sure where the line is between the two of you, and Olivia has only confused things with her perplexing words. You try not to show that you are slightly uncomfortable however, and enjoy a pleasant conversation with Taron about the movie and other casual topics of conversation. When you both are done eating and all the trash has been cleared away, he pours himself another drink and holds the bottle out to you apparently asking if you'd like another.

"Just one more tiny one", you say holding your thumb and forefinger an inch apart. He pours it and hands it to you, which you drain in one gulp. Setting the glass on the counter, you clap your hands together and say, "Ok! I guess we better get started!" He frowns.

"Fine, lets get this over with", he reluctantly agrees. You begin to open the clippers and tell him you need a couple of towels, a comb and a chair pulled up to the kitchen sink. He retrieves the items and you instruct him to sit. He does so, vodka bottle in hand. After wrapping the towel around his shoulders, you pull out the scissors and eye him carefully.

"Ok, so I'm going to trim your hair first, then we'll shave", you tell him combing through his hair. You have already studied some pictures of Elton's hair when he was at this stage in life so you have a pretty good idea of what needs to be done, but you are still a little nervous. "God, I hope Lizzie doesn't kill me for this", you say worried.

"Do we really even have to do this?" Taron whines and you can tell the drink is starting to get to him.

"Taron, you can be such a baby sometimes. Yes, you know we have to do this. It will grow back, you'll be fine", you say maybe a little too harshly, and get to work trimming his thick brown hair. He sighs heavily taking a drink from the bottle, and you feel satisfied that he will be quiet for now. You can't reach very well from the side, so you move around to stand between his parted legs. You look down at him to see that he is watching you, then his eyes flick down to look straight ahead. You go back to work, and after several more minutes, you feel the hem of your t-shirt being tugged. You look down again to see that he is pulling on it. Your shirt is snug and only comes to the top of your waistband, so you feel his fingers brush against the sensitive skin of your stomach and it gives you goosebumps. "Taron, what are you doing?"

"Distrractingg myselff", he slurs a little. You suddenly wonder how much of the vodka he's had and looking down at the bottle, you see that it's 3/4 of the way empty. You only had a little so you know that Taron has consumed the rest. Lovely.

"Taron, how could you have drank all that already?" You ask amazed. He only shrugs and then releases your shirt. You grab the bottle from his hand and set it on the counter. Looking at his hair, you think you've cut all you can; so you take the clippers, plug them in, and turn on the button to start the little motor. Taron flinches and closes his eyes. "You ready?" You ask. When he only barely nods his head, you begin working the clippers carefully around his scalp. You start slowly, shaving in a little closer than you think it needs to be knowing you can always take more off but you can't add it back in. After you've made one pass all the way across, you decide you can make one more pass to shave back a little further. It doesn't take long, as you're not actually shaving off that much, only an inch and a half or so. When you're done, you step back to survey the damage and smile when you see it actually doesn't look bad at all. After all, it would take a lot to make Taron look bad. "You can open your eyes now", you tell him setting down the razor.

"Done already?" He asks peeking up at you.

"Yep, although I think you could use a rinse", you say noticing all the little hairs around his face and neck. "Stand up," you instruct. He does so and you turn him around to face the sink. "Lean over", and you help him by gently pushing on his upper back until he is far enough over that you can use the spray nozzle to rinse his head. After you're done rinsing him, you grab a clean towel and pressing it against his forehead, you guide him back to standing upright. You towel dry his hair for him like a child, and rub it against the side of his face and neck. He is standing there dumbstruck looking at you.

"Well, how doesss it llook?" He asks slurring more now. You stifle a laugh.

"Well, ridiculous right now because it's sticking up in all different directions", you say reaching up to finger comb through his hair. He closes his eyes and sighs.

"Mmmmmmm", escapes from his lips in a sort of low rumble. You are distracted for a moment by his closed eyes and chiseled features, but you go back to working on getting his hair to lay straight.

"There!" You exclaim and his eyes pop open. "You know, it's really not that bad at all Taron. And if you comb the back part forward, you can barely tell that it's been shaved. He gives you a smirk with that cocked eyebrow.

"Hmph, I thhink you're jusst bein nice", he says slowly.

"Whatever", you say rolling your eyes. "Of course we still need to dye it, but I'm going to let Lizzie handle that to make sure we get the perfect shade." He just eyes you with half closed lids, slightly swaying. Noticing this you say, "Do you need to go sit down?" At this, he jumps to attention.

"No! Oh my goshhh. I LOVE thiss ssong!" He practically yells and grabs your hand pulling you toward the living room. You barely have time to throw the towel on the counter as you are dragged from the kitchen. You haven't even been paying attention to what songs were playing, but Taron turns up the volume on the music device you now see sitting on a table between the kitchen and living room. You recognize it now as "Can't Fight This Feeling", a popular 80's ballad that you can't remember who sings. "Let's dance!" Taron exclaims loudly and you can't help but laugh as he pulls you to him in the middle of the living room. His right arm goes around your waist and his left hand holds yours in the air as he guides you in sloppy little circles around the room. You hold on to his right shoulder, your head next to his, and you hear him start to sing.

"Oh, I can't fight this feeling any longer  
And yet I'm still afraid to let it flow  
What started out as friendship has grown stronger  
I only wish I had the strength to let it show"

When you listen to the words he's singing, which miraculously are not slurred at all, you pull back to look into his eyes and he sings directly to you.

"I tell myself that I can't hold out forever  
I said there is no reason for my fear  
'Cause I feel so secure when we're together  
You give my life direction  
You make everything so clear"

You know these are just song lyrics, but you can't help but wonder if he's...trying to tell you something? Of course not, that's absurd. Like he would know this song was going to come on and that he would have the chance to sing these words to you. You relax a little and lean back into him resting your head gently on his shoulder. He continues to sing, and the low hum of his voice near your ear makes you shudder.

"And even as I wander  
I'm keeping you in sight  
You're a candle in the window  
On a cold, dark winter's night  
And I'm getting closer than I ever thought I might"

He pushes away from you to twirl you clumsily under his arm and it makes you giggle. Pulling you back closer this time, he crushes you against him and wraps your hands between your bodies. Holding you snug around your waist, his palm pressed firmly against your lower back, he continues to sing sweetly in your ear.

"And I can't fight this feeling anymore  
I've forgotten what I started fighting for  
It's time to bring this ship into the shore  
And throw away the oars, forever"

His words are sung so softly, so...seductively even. You are barely moving now in just tiny little steps in a slow drawn out circle. Your heart rate picks up as the warmth of his body radiates through yours.

"Cause I can't fight this feeling anymore  
I've forgotten what I started fighting for  
And if I have to crawl upon the floor  
Come crushing through your door  
Baby, I can't fight this feeling anymore"

Between the scent of the alcohol, Taron's closeness and his hypnotizing singing, you are becoming a little light-headed. He now attempts to dip you, and you loose your footing which causes you both to stumble to the loveseat, laughing nervously. Sitting almost uncomfortably close on the small couch, he smiles lazily over at you.

"Feeling better?" You ask him.

"Yeah, just a llittle dizzzy." His slurring has returned and you shake your head.

"I hope you're not too hung over tomorrow; maybe the vodka wasn't such a good idea", you consider now.

"Whatt are you talkingg abbout? I'm fiiiine", he says throwing his head back on the couch cushion.

"Sure Taron", you say but he doesn't respond. You lean over him and see that his eyes are closed and he seems to have gone limp. "Taron?" You ask quietly. When he still doesn't respond, you sigh and then try and hoist him from the couch. "Come on buddy, let's get you to bed", you say pulling on him with all your effort. His eyes open halfway.

"Huhhh?" He asks confused.

"I need you to help me Taron, I can't move you by myself," you say grunting as you try one last time to move him. When you accept that he's not going anywhere, you pull his legs up and over the end of the loveseat, and position the cushion a little better under his head. Better than nothing you think. You smooth his hair and gaze at his beautiful face for one more moment, and without thinking, you bend down and place a kiss on his forehead. "Bye Taron, see you tomorrow", you whisper. Out of nowhere, his eyes pop open and he grabs your shoulders which shocks you to your core.

"Wait, I nneed to tell you ssomething", he says desperately.

"Ok, what is it?" You ask breathlessly looking down into his wide eyes.

He swallows hard and says without slurring, clear as day, "I did look at you..."

"W-what?" You asked surprised and confused.

"I did look at you", he repeats. "During "Your Song", he says searching your face for understanding.

"What? You did? But..you said you didn't... Why? Taron?" All your questions are coming out in a stream of panic and shock. He looks at you another second, then releases you and collapses back onto the sofa. "Taron?" You say a little louder and shake him, but he really is out now so you just stare down at him, more baffled than ever.


	16. The Bad News

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You receive some distressing news and Taron comforts you.

Author's note: Hi! I hope you are enjoying "The Make-Up Artist" as much as I am enjoying writing it! Hopefully, you have been reading the whole thing, but just in case, be sure you have read the very first part, "Prologue: The Photo" before reading this chapter. It will make a lot more sense!

After leaving Taron's apartment the night before and another fitful night's sleep, you wake to a text message from Olivia saying you aren't needed at the studio today since they are just going to be doing promo shots with Taron's new hairdo. But you can, "stop by if you want to". Really?? She can bet her sweet ass you're going to stop by. The whole thing angers you to no end and you've just about had it with her attitude toward you. You decide to call Taron just to make sure he is awake and amongst the land of the living, and to tell him he needn't bother picking you up since he's probably hung over and you aren't on the schedule today. After four rings, he finally picks up.

"Hellllo?" He answers gruffly and you hope you haven't woken him.

"Taron? It's me. Are you awake?" You ask hoping he isn't too far gone.

"Mmm, yeah. Just got out of the shower", he says and you hear a muffled noise in the background. Is he actually drying off as you speak?

"Oh, ok. Good. Just wanted to make sure you were up and moving." When he doesn't respond, you continue. "No need to pick me up today. I'm on a... light schedule", you don't want to tell him that you "aren't needed".

"You sure?" He mumbles out.

"Yes, just worry about getting yourself there and I'll see you a bit later", you say then pause. "You feeling ok?"

There is a pause on his end then, "Yep. Only I woke up this morning to see that someone had shaved my head", he says with a hint of sarcasm. There's your Taron. You smile.

"Hmm, now who on Earth would do such a thing", you say playfully.

"Beats me, some Yankee chick I think."

"Ok Taron, I'll see you in a little while", you say laughing.

"Bye love", he says before you both disconnect the call. You wonder just how much he remembers about last night. Does he remember his admission to you? Did he even know what he was saying? You don't know if you want to ask him about it or not, but you can't think about that now. It's time to get yourself ready and get to the studio to see what Olivia is up to.

Since you aren't on a particular schedule today, you decide to change it up and take the train. That turns out to be a bit of mistake because it takes you twice as long to get to the studio and the station you have to get off at is quite a ways from the studio entrance. But, it gave you time to do some people watching and thinking. However, you still don't know if you want to bring up what Taron said to you last night when you see him today.

Upon arriving at the make-up trailer, you are disappointed to not only not find Taron here, but to see Olivia smirking at you as you enter.

"Hi Olivia", you say in your usual cheery voice you use when addressing her. "Everything go ok with dying Taron's hair?" You are genuinely interested.

"Of course", she says in her snottiest of voices. "We ARE professionals you know. Lizzie was...interested to see that you had taken it upon yourself to shave his head", she says practically turning her nose up at you then turns her back. You roll your eyes.

"Ohhhhk, where is Taron?" You ask not the least bit shy about asking after him.

"In his trailer waiting to be called for photos I suppose", she says her back still turned toward you.

"Thanks", you say coolly and turn to exit the trailer.

"Wait," she calls and you turn back to face her. "He left these here", she says handing you a pair of rose-colored star-shaped glasses. "Be a doll and run these down to him", she says in a fake sing-song voice.

"Sure", you say and proceed to do just that. You walk the short distance to his trailer, climb the stairs and knock on the door.

A moment passes, then you hear his voice from within. "Come in", so you turn the knob and step inside...............

.

.

.

.

.

.

You're not sure how much time has passed since you started your little trip down memory lane, but the light outside the trailer windows turning a yellowish orange color indicates it's nearing sundown. After finally admitting to yourself that you do indeed have feelings for Taron, right or wrong, you are suddenly very keen on seeing him as soon as possible. You don't know exactly what you're going to say or do, but you feel compelled to see him. NOW. You get up from the couch intent on finding him, even though you have no clue where he is at the moment. You are almost to the door when your phone suddenly rings. You let out an exasperated sigh as you reach into your back pocket and fish it out. Seeing that it's Lisa calling, and knowing you really shouldn't put her off any longer, you answer it.

"Hey Lis, what's up?" You say hoping your voice will somehow indicate that you don't have much time to talk.

"Hey", she says in a solemn way and you know immediately something's not right.

"Lisa, what's wrong? You ask walking back over to the couch but not sitting.

She sighs heavily and now you are really concerned. She is never like this.

"I, I have to tell you something", she says her voice audibly trembling.

"Yes. You mentioned that the other day. What is it Lis? You know you can tell me anything, just say it", you implore sounding as soothing as you can. There is a pause on the other end. "Lisa? You still there?" You are growing impatient, not to mention worried.

"Yes, I'm here. Ok," she sighs. "So you know I told you I met a guy and we fell in love and all that?"

"Yeah...", you say hesitantly. You're not sure you like where this is going.

"Well, we also got engaged but..."

You cut her off, "Oh Lisa! That's great! Really! I'm so happy for you!" You weren't sure before about her being serious about this guy, but if they've gotten engaged, that has to mean it's for real this time right?

"Yes, but..", she says shakily, then starts to cry.

"Lisa, what is it? Please tell me!" You say loudly over her sobbing.

"It's Anthony!" She blurts out amid her tears and your whole body goes numb. You don't say anything for several seconds, just listen to her wailing on the other end of the line while you try to regain feeling in your limbs. Maybe you just heard her wrong.

"What?" You manage to whisper out. Her sobbing subsides a little and turns into wet sniffling sounds.

"It's Anthony. I've been wanting to tell you for weeks. He came back into town after I got back, and I saw him at a party and we just starting talking. I don't know, and I guess we just sorta hit it off. We were just hanging out as friends at first, but then I guess, it turned into more. And we didn't realize what was happening, but then it was just happening." She's rambling on and on and it's like her voice is coming from inside a cave. You can hear it, but it's all distorted in your mind. She continues, "and it was too late to go back, you know?"

No, you certainly do NOT know. All you do know is that if she is referring to Anthony, YOUR Anthony, whom YOU loved for six months and then broke YOUR heart when he left, it's not possible. Is it?

"A-Anthony?" You croak out and finally find your voice. "My ex, Anthony? The one that broke my heart into a million pieces? The one that I didn't get over for a year? The one that I cried about every night with YOU by my side for months? THAT Anthony?" She starts crying again.

"I'm so so sorry", she says desperately now. "I didn't know what I was doing, I'm so sorry, please don't hate me, I love you! Please please say you understand. You're my best friend!" You are still standing there in a state of shock and you don't even know what else to say to her.

"I-I can't talk about this now", you mumble and you end the call, fingers shaking.

You stare at the phone for a second and when it rings again, you silence it then turn the phone off. You slowly collapse down onto the couch and stare silently into the darkening room.

Minutes or hours or seconds go by. You don't really know, when Taron comes through the door back in his usual jeans, t-shirt and baseball cap.

"Oh hey, you're still here!" He says sounding excited to see you here. "What are you doing sitting here in the dark?" He asks turning on a lamp by the chair. You barely register what he's saying, but you squint your eyes in the sudden bright light and look up at him.

"W-what?" You stammer out. You feel like in you're in some weird waking dream where you know deep down it's not real, but it feels like you're really there. You see the worry flash immediately over his face and he sits down next to you.

"Are you ok?" He asks and his concern for your warms your heart and brings you back to the present, a bit.

After a long pause, you start to speak in a daze. "It's...Anthony. She's going to marry...Anthony." Confusion spreads across Taron's features.

"Huh? Who's Anthony? And who is She?" He asks searching your eyes but you don't answer. An idea comes to you and you stand up abruptly.

"Something's not right", you say more to yourself than to him. "I must've misunderstood. I have to go home and find out. Then it'll all make sense. It has to be a mistake. I'll go home and everything will be fine." You are muttering all this to yourself as you make your way out the door and down the steps with Taron following closely behind. Suddenly, he grabs you firmly around your arm turning you to face him. It's not forceful, but it's enough to jolt you out of the stupor you are in. You look up at him questionably as if he were the one acting insane.

"What are you talking about? Go home? Like... to L.A.??" He asks looking panicked.

"What? L.A? Oh, yes. I should go home, then she'll explain everything", you say sounding like a loon again. He grabs you by your other arm and looks dead into your eyes.

He says your name forcefully and then, "WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT? You're scaring me. How can you go home? What about the job? What about...me?" He says these last words rather softly and it pulls at your heart and you finally snap yourself out of it. You look up into his terrified eyes and feel the sting of tears threatening to escape your own.

"My best friend is going to marry...Anthony", you say wanting desperately for him to understand. When you see that Taron still doesn't comprehend you try and explain further, "The guy that I told you about? That walked out on me? That destroyed me for a year..." The tears begin to fall now and you see his face change from panic to despair in a matter of seconds. But he lets you continue.

"She knew how much I loved him Taron, or thought I loved him. She stayed by my side EVERY NIGHT while I sobbed on her shoulder FOR A YEAR!" Your voice is becoming louder as the realization and pain builds within you. "She KNEW!" You grab at his shirt needing something to grasp, wanting to express with every part of your being how you are feeling at this moment. The desperation, the humiliation, the gut-wrenching agony of just what is happening on the other side of the pond. "How could she do this to me?" You are sobbing now. "How. Could. She...??? You say softly as you let your weeping take over. You are still clutching at him, knowing that if you don't hold onto something, you will surely crumble to the ground. When he sees that words are beyond you at this point, he incircles you with his arms and pulls you to him slowly. You fight him at first, not wanting to be comforted, just wanting to scream and kick and cry. But your energy is spent, so you unclench your fists from his shirt to press your palms firmly against his chest as he crushes you against him.

"Shhh", you hear him croon softly in your ear. "It's ok", he whispers. "I've got you love", he says gently as he rubs slow circles over your back with one hand, and holds you tightly to him with the other. You slump against him, still crying but softer now. Your head is buried in his chest and you inhale his musky scent, his soothing warmth and his gentle soul; the only things keeping you sane right now. You're not sure how much time passes standing out here in front of Taron's trailer, but he continues to holds you, gently caressing your back until finally you hear him speak again. "Let's go back inside, ok?" He says softly. You pull back enough to look him in the eyes and nod slowly. He releases you and you feel your knees buckle slightly. You're not sure if he notices this or not, but his arm is immediately back around your shoulder, guiding you up the stairs and into the trailer.

He walks you over to the couch and gently nudges you to sit. "I'll be right back, don't move", he insists but you don't acknowledge what he has said. He returns after a few moments with a bottle of water and a few tissues. When you don't move to accept them, he sets the bottle on a table nearby, and then gently dabs at your face with the tissues before discarding them on the table as well. He then sits down next to you and places his hand on your thigh. You look down at his hand, then up to his waiting eyes. He's looking at you like you are a bomb about to explode. "Want to talk about it?" He asks after another moment. You shake your head "no". His hand is leaving a searing heat that is traveling up your leg and throughout your body. You cover his hand with your own and he turns it palm facing up, interlocking his fingers with yours. You squeeze his hand tightly. "Want me to take you home? I mean, to the B&B?" He asks hesitantly. This gets your attention.

"No!" You say a little more forcefully than intended. Then softer, "No, I can't go back to that empty room tonight", you say feeling the threat of tears again.

"Ok, not a problem at all. You can stay here tonight. There's a bed...I'll sleep on the couch", he says. You don't know if it's everything that has happened today, or the tenderness in his voice, but a single tear escapes down your cheek and you wipe it away quickly. "Please don't cry", he begs you. "I can't stand that someone has made you feel this way. It kills me to see you in this much pain", he says wiping a second tear away with his thumb. You look up at him and you can see tears glistening in his own eyes.

"Taron", you whisper. You cover his hand that is caressing your cheek with your own. He looks at you deeply, swallows hard then taking you by the hand, stands and pulls you to your feet. He leads you silently into the bedroom and your heart begins to thud in your chest. You are so full of emotions right now, you don't even know which one to pay the most attention to. You had almost forgotten your new-found feelings for Taron until this moment. It's dark in the room as he leads you over to the bed. He pulls down the covers, then guides you to sit as you study his every move intently. He bends down and removes your shoes, one by one, then lifts your legs to move you into a laying position on the bed. He then covers you with the sheets and gazes down at you. Your eyes are starting to adjust to the darkness and you can just make out the features on his face. It's that look again. The pained one. The one that makes your insides do somersaults.

"Sleep now love", he whispers. "I'll just be in the next room", he says as he caresses your hair with his hand. You nod up at him and after staring down at you for another moment or so, he turns to leave. He leaves the door open, and you roll over onto your side and close your weary eyes. You're sure you'll never be able to actually sleep, but before you know it, you doze off into a restless slumber.

You don't know how long you've been asleep, seconds...hours maybe, but you are suddenly woken by what you think is someone screaming. You sit bolt upright in the bed, looking around for the source of the sound. Seconds later, Taron comes bounding into the room huffing and puffing scanning the room and looking alarmed. He's removed his hat and shoes and is now wearing a pair of sweatpants with the t-shirt he was wearing earlier.

"What's wrong?" He asks out of breath.

"I don't know", you say calming your own breathing. "I heard someone screaming", you look at him terrified. He places a hand over his chest and closes his eyes.

"That was you love", he says looking at you. "I thought someone was in here killing you", he attempts at sarcasm.

"Me? Oh...I must have been dreaming", you say, your heart starting to calm.

"You scared me to death", he says sighing and walking over to the bed. He sits down next to you and you relax back down.

"Sorry", you say as you pull the sheets back up around you.

"Don't apologize, I was just worried about you", he says as he helps tuck you back in. "I'll let you get back to sleep", he says as he starts to stand.

"No!" You say grabbing his arm. He stops immediately and looks back at you concerned.

"Stay with me?" You ask softly.

"In here?" He says looking around.

"Yes, I don't want to be alone", you plead. Then when he doesn't respond, "Please?" He lets out a heavy sigh.

"Ok", he says then stands and walks around to the other side of the bed. You feel the mattress shift as he climbs onto it. After a few moments, you look over at him to see that he is laying on his back over the sheets, hands by his sides, staring up at the ceiling. The bed is small so there is only a few inches between you. Wanting, no, needing to feel the comfort of his touch, you reach over and find his arm in the dark. You grasp him just above his elbow and you feel him stiffen slightly. His skin is soft and warm, and the muscle of his bicep is firm under your touch. He turns his head slowly to look over at you. You roll over onto your side to face him and he does the same but hesitantly it seems. You scoot closer to him until your bodies are practically touching. It doesn't take much to close the small distance between you.

You lift your hand to run it down the side of his face, down his jawline and finally to rest on his neck. His breath catches and you can feel the steady pulse of his carotid beneath your fingers. You continue your exploration over his stubbly chin and up to his perfectly soft mouth. You trace his lips lightly with two fingers, and you notice his chest rising and falling more rapidly than it was before. You can feel little puffs of breath coming from his lips as he watches you closely. He grasps your hand and places a delicate kiss on your fingertips. He then brings your hand to your mouth and presses your fingers gently against your own lips, eyes never leaving yours. An electric shock travels from the very tip of your head all the way down to your toes. He brings your hand back down to rest at your side and the only sound in the room is the slightly heavy breathing coming from you both. You break the silence by asking him a question.

"Taron, what are you thinking right now?" You ask quietly but desperately wanting to know the answer.

He closes his eyes and swallows deeply. Opening his eyes to look at you, he speaks just as quietly. "You know I care about you very much, right?"

"I-I think so...", you respond.

He continues. "And you know I would never do anything that I thought might hurt you", he says tucking a strand of hair behind your ears. The contact of his fingers against your earlobe gives you chills and you have to close your eyes. You concentrate on what he's just said, and you think you understand the meaning. You are disappointed but right now, you are too exhausted to put much more thought into it.

He wraps you into his arms and cradles you there, your head resting against his chest. His warmth becomes your warmth, his heartbeat in time with yours. You don't think you've ever felt so protected and secure in your entire life as you do in this moment. You sigh into him, releasing all your stress and anguish and frustration into his body. You want to tell him just how much he means to you too, how much you appreciate him being here for you. But you can't quite form the words, so you drift peacefully into sleep tucked safely in his arms.


	17. Just Be Normal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Taron makes a mistake...

You wake the next morning to soft bluish yellow light coming through the small window in the trailer bedroom. You stretch your arms and legs and opening your eyes, are disappointed to find you are alone in the bed. It must be early, where could Taron be? You sit up and rub your eyes and you are immediately hit with the realization of yesterday's events. Your so-called best friend is marrying your ex and there's not a damn thing you can do about it, not that you want him back by any means. You did finally manage to get over him after many many months thank God, but it's the principle of it. Lisa had a front row seat of your depression and misery as you dealt with the pain he caused you, and you can't even begin to imagine how she thinks you would just be "ok" with this.

Knowing you can't stay here forever, you climb out of the bed, slip into your shoes, then shuffle out to the the small bathroom. After using the facilities, you splash cold water on your face and dry off with a hand towel. You are surprised to find a small shower in here and consider jumping in, but seeing how there is no bath products or towels for that matter, you decide just your face is fine for now. Stepping out of the bathroom, you see your discarded phone still lying on the sofa where you dropped it yesterday. Cringing, you pick it up and turn it on to see that you have thirteen missed calls and twenty one texts, but only eighteen of them are from Lisa. You don't even open hers, but are mildly interested to see that you have two from your mom and one from Colin. Lord, what the hell does he want? Sliding it open, you read:

Colin: Hey stranger! I'm at the studio today. Meet up later for dinner maybe? X

You are trying to figure out how to respond when Taron comes through the door with two to-go coffees and a small bag.

"Oh, hi! You're up. I brought you some coffee and a honey bran muffin"(your favorite), he says smiling sweetly at you.

"Thank you, but I'm really not very hungry", you say apologetically and stand shoving the phone into your pocket.

"That's ok, you can have it when you're ready", he offers then pauses. "You can stay here for the day if you want, or I can drive you home, whatever you need. And I'm going to tell Olivia you need the day off, I'll just say you're not feeling well", he says.

"No, I need to work. I'm ok. I just need to get my things, go home and get cleaned up, then I'll be back", you insist as you cross over to him.

"Ok. If you're sure. Let me just grab my keys..."

"No Taron. I mean, no thank you. I'll just take the train." You can see that he's about to argue with you so you place your hand against his chest stopping him. "It's ok Taron. I just need some time to myself for a bit, ok?" You ask looking up at him. You flinch slightly at the wounded look that flashes across his eyes.

"Ok", he says quietly, then hands you the coffee and pastry bag which you take graciously. "Can I at least walk you to get your things?" He looks so sincere that you can't help but accept his offer.

"Of course", you say forcing a smile. The two of you walk together in silence to the make-up trailer in the brightening day. The trailer is empty when you enter, and it doesn't take long for you to grab your bag where you left it yesterday. You are about to thank Taron for everything he's done when Colin comes flying through the door. You both turn, looking slightly annoyed to see him there. Well, you can tell that Taron is highly annoyed and you really don't want to deal with this right now.

"There you are!" Colin exclaims a little too enthusiastically. "Did you get my text?" You see Taron's head turn quickly in your direction.

"Hey Colin, yes I did. Just haven't had a chance to respond yet", you say.

"Oh no worries. So how about it? Dinner tonight when you're done?" He asks then looks quickly over at Taron as if he's just now noticing him in the room. Your eyes slide over to Taron's, silently begging him for help. As if reading your mind, Taron chimes in.

"Actually, she was just on her way out. Not really feeling well today", he explains to Colin.

"Oh, sorry to hear that...", Colin says looking back at you like he's waiting for you to concur.

"Yeah, think I might be coming down with something", you say rubbing at your throat. "I'm gonna head home and see if I can get some rest. I might be back later, but we'll see. And even if I do come back, I'll probably need to head back home when I'm done here. I'm sorry", you apologize as you and Taron start to move past him in the small space.

"Ok!", He calls after you. "Hope you feel better!" You give him a small wave then exit the trailer with Taron by your side.

"Thank you", you say to Taron when you are out of ear-shot of Colin.

"Anytime love", he says then places his finger against the tip of your nose. You smile meekly at him, then turn toward the studio exit. After about twenty paces, before you exit the main gate, you look back at Taron to find him watching you. He then turns and climbs the stairs back into the make-up trailer.

You really don't think much about anything during the train ride back to the B&B, or as the hot water streams over you during your shower, or even during the taxi ride back to the studio. You've just adopted a sort of numb feeling; your coping mechanism apparently. Besides, if you think too much about anything that's happened in the last twenty four hours, you're sure to break down completely.

Upon returning to the studio later that day, you find that Olivia has already fixed Taron's hair and make-up and that he is currently filming his next scene. Well, you can't exactly blame her since you weren't here to do it yourself. They have gone back in the timeline of the movie and are filming two rather elaborate scenes today involving Taron and Richard, some musical numbers and several extras. So you set off to see if you can help anywhere else since you really need something right now to take your mind off things.

You find the tent where they are working on the extras and you jump right in getting to work. You see Taron here and there and he always makes an effort to smile at you when your eyes meet which warms your heart. You let your mind wander, and although you're not ready to think about what's going on back in L.A., you do allow yourself to explore what exactly was happening in Taron's bedroom last night. You know now that you have feelings for him, but does he have feelings for you? Sometimes it seems as though he does, but other times, you just aren't sure. It felt like something was going to happen in that bed last night, you know you wanted him to kiss you, you can admit that now, but he hadn't. Why? Did he not want to? Was he scared to? He admitted to looking at you during that critical moment during "Your Song", but does that even mean anything? He said himself that you are just colleagues, but he also said that he cares about you very much. Is it possible you just mis-read the whole thing? It's more than possible, it's very likely probable. Why would a guy like Taron be interested in someone like you? He could have anyone he wanted. There have been so many mixed signals and you don't know what to believe anymore. Nevermind the fact that even if he did have feelings for you, it's not like anything could happen between the two of you. Not while you are working here anyway. And once you're not working here, you'll both go your separate ways. It all just makes your head spin so you push the thoughts away and concentrate on your work.

After a few hours, you get a break and decide to head to craft services to grab a snack. You haven't eaten anything since yesterday and your stomach is not going to let you ignore it much longer. You select a banana and as you're peeling it, you feel a tap on your shoulder. Turning around, hoping to see Taron there, you are more than a little disappointed to find Colin standing in front of you with a remorseful expression on his face.

"Oh, hi Colin. You're still here?" Of course he's still here but what else are you going to say?

"Yeah, just about finished though. Listen, I just want to say that I completely understand. No hard feelings at all", he says putting a hand on your shoulder. You look at his hand, then back to him feeling very confused.

"I'm sorry? Understand what?" You ask, puzzled.

"About you not being ready to date right now", he explains but you are more confused that ever.

"Huh?" You ask, banana poised in mid air.

"You know, because of your... ex?" And he lowers his voice on "ex" like it's a taboo word. You just stare dumb-founded at him but your heart starts to race.

"What are you talking about Colin?" And you can hear the frustration in your voice.

"It's ok. I know all about it", he says as if that explains it all.

"Know about what?" You say gritting your teeth. You are squeezing the banana a little too firmly and you feel it start to turn to mush between your fingers.

"About your ex...and your best friend? Going behind your back? I completely understand how you feel and that you need time to get over that before you can think about dating", he says looking satisfied with himself like he's got it all figured out.

"And how do you know about this?" You ask, hand shaking. He eyes the banana in your hand and his face takes on an anxious expression.

"T-Taron told me", he says now looking as if this is obvious. Your hand finally crushes the banana and it falls to the ground.

"Taron? Told you?" You can't quite believe it. Don't want to believe it. But no one else knew. He was the only one. It had to be him. Colin just nods his head slowly up and down. "Excuse me", you say calmly. Then you push past him, leaving him standing there dumbstruck.

You are looking around frantically at the dispersing crowd of people trying to catch a glimpse of Taron. The last time you saw him was about an hour ago so you have no idea where he might be. You stomp off toward the make-up trailer hoping to find him there and alone, but all you find is Richard and Olivia who is removing his make-up so you assume they must be done for the day. Both of their heads swivel in your direction when you push the door open a little too abruptly. Olivia just scoffs at you as usual, bit Richard smiles with his dazzling teeth and says hello.

"Hi", you say dismissively. "Do either of you know where Taron is?" You ask looking between them both.

"Last I saw he was looking for you", Richard answers.

"Thanks", you reply then head back out the door. You decide to check his trailer. He must be there if he's already out of costume and looking for you. You don't know what you're going to say when you find him. All you do know is that you're mad as hell. He had no right to say anything to Colin. You reach his trailer, climb the stairs two at a time and swing the door wide without bothering to knock. Taron is sitting on the couch and he gets to his feet quickly when he sees you. He is all smiles until he sees the apparent look on your face.

"What's wrong?" He asks immediately his face going pale.

"How. Dare. You." You say through gritted teeth. His eyes go wide as a look of shock spreads across his face.

"W-what?" Is all he manages to say.

"You. Told. Colin? About...", you can't even say their names without grimacing. Closing your eyes and swallowing, you gain the strength to continue. "Lisa and Anthony?", you say just above a whisper. Understanding passes across his face and what looks like remorse follows immediately after. He closes his eyes and sighs.

"Yes, I did. But only because I was trying to protect you", he tries to explain looking lost.

"Protect? Me?" You repeat. You can hear the anger in your own voice. "From what exactly Taron? And please explain how betraying my trust protects me?" You can see on his face that your words have wounded him.

"Betray your trust? I wasn't...I didn't mean to...I thought I was helping by telling him what you were going through", he pleads.

"It wasn't yours to tell Taron. You saw what it did to me, and for you to just go blab it to some, some stranger! I don't need your protection! You think I can't handle a guy like him??" You are furious now and you're not sure where this is coming from. Everything has finally come to a boiling point and now it's exploding around you.

"But this morning, you looked at me like you wanted my help. I was just trying to keep you from having to go on a date with him. I didn't think he'd go and tell you", he says taking a step toward you and you hold out your palm. He stops suddenly.

"Well, he did. And it made me feel like a complete idiot. I had to relive it all over again in front of him standing at the fucking snack table!" Taron lowers his head. You can see that he feels terrible, but you go on. "And what the hell do you care anyway who I do or don't date?" His head snaps back up and you can see the fresh pain wash over him. You promised yourself you wouldn't be the one to make his face look like that, so why are you doing it?

"You know I care about you", he says quietly putting emphasis on the word "care".

"Do you?" You challenge.

"Excuse me?" He asks and you just continue to stare him down, fists clenched. You now see something else flash across his eyes, something you don't see very often. Anger. Mixed with hurt. "You think I don't care about you?"

"Not in that way", you say crossing your arms over your chest.

"In what way?" He asks crossing stealthily toward you but you hold your ground.

"In the way that would make you care who I date", you explain and heat fills his eyes.

"And what makes you say that?" He says in a low voice, now standing only a few feet in front of you. You swallow and look him straight in the eyes. No going back now.

"Because of last night", you say hoping he will understand and drop it. He laughs ironically.

"What? Because I didn't make a move on you when you were vulnerable and in pain?" He says in a confrontational way. You don't answer, just continue to hold the steady glare of his eyes. "What kind of man would I be if I had?" He asks rhetorically. You strengthen your resolve and lower your arms staring right at him, almost daring him.

"A normal one?" You say scornfully. His eyes are daggers, boring into you. You can tell you've hit a major nerve and you're sure you have never seen him this angry before.

"Normal? NORMAL?" He says louder now and you take a tiny step back. "So you want me to be normal huh? Just a normal asshole like every other guy?" You know he's not actually looking for answers here, and you don't know how to react to his sudden change of attitude so you just stare at him. "Ok, I'll be normal then", he states firmly. Then Taron takes two wide steps to close the distance between you, grabs your face in his hands and crashes his lips onto yours.

To say you are shocked is an understatement. You are so completely taken back by his actions, that you just stand there immobile for what seems like hours but in reality it's only seconds. When you finally realize what is happening, you press your palms to his chest to push him away. But his hands are on your shoulders now and he holds you firmly in place as he continues to try and engage you in the kiss. Deciding you are offended by his sudden onslaught, you push back harder and he falters backward staring at you with wide eyes. You are both breathing heavily from the ordeal and you continue to gape at each other, a foot apart, for a few moments. His eyes are filled with passion, anger and maybe even... fear? You look at him standing there chest heaving, and suddenly remember that you do want him. Whether you want to admit it right now or not, you want him to kiss you, want him to touch you...and he apparently wants you too...

Without giving it another thought, you grab him by his shirt collar and pull him aggressively back to you. He is surprised at first and doesn't respond right away, but only at first. Before you can register what is happening, his arms are around you, hands pressing into your back and moving up to cradle your head. His lips are soft but demanding, savoring and tasting every inch of your lips. Your hands move up his neck to tangle in the soft hair at his nape. You need to feel him closer so you angle your head as you pull his head to you. He backs you up against the trailer wall and you swear you feel the whole thing shake as your back slams against it. His hands travel down your sides to rest at your hips and he pulls you roughly against his own body, pressing you both harder against the wall. You moan into his mouth from the sensation of his body so intimately close against your own. He uses the opportunity to slip the tip of his tongue between your teeth to mingle with yours. He moans softly against your mouth and it sends tremors all throughout your body. His hands are at your waist and you feel his fingertips dip just under the hem of your shirt to press softly into the flesh at your ribs. Your hands go back down his neck to slip under the collar of his open shirt and push it deftly off his shoulders. He releases you for just a moment to shrug out of it and it falls to the floor. He is still wearing a t-shirt which frustrates you but you can't think about that now because his hands are back on you, grasping your hips and pressing himself into you once more. You desperately need to catch your breath, so you break the kiss and groan as you tilt your head back exposing your neck to him. He shows his appreciation by planting soft sensual kisses just under your ear, then making his way down the column of your throat, exploring with his tongue and lips. His mouth grazes your collar bone as he finds his way over to the other side of your neck.

"Taron...", you say breathlessly and he kisses and nips his way up the other side of your neck. You need his lips on yours again so you unwrap your hands from around his neck to grab him by his magnificent jaw and pull him to your face. This time, you are the one to push your tongue roughly against his and you are rewarded with a low growl that comes from the back of his throat. His hands begin to travel back up under your shirt and he goes a little further this time. His fingers are burning into your skin while his hips pin yours to the wall and his tongue and mouth attack yours. You feel like you are just about to lose your mind, when you think you hear a low vibrating sound coming from somewhere in front of you. You hardly acknowledge what the sound is and after a few seconds, it stops. Then it starts up again and Taron is apparently oblivious to it. You are finally able to bring yourself around to the present, and barely register that it's a phone ringing. It must be Taron's phone in his pocket because now you realize that you can feel it vibrating against your own leg. You pull your face away from his and pat him on the shoulder as you whisper his name between breaths. "Taron..."

"Mmmmm", is his only response as he dives into your neck again and your sensations go back into overdrive. As his lips connect with your earlobe, your eyes roll back in your head but you try and focus on what you're saying. "Taron!" You say a little louder to jolt him out of his assault. He pulls away slightly but his head is still angled toward your neck, his lips still brushing your skin.

"Your phone...is...ringing", you say out of breath.

"Fuuuuuuuck", he breathes out and hearing that word on his lips in this moment almost sends you over the edge. It takes everything you've got, but you manage to push him off you, the moment apparently over. He steps back and whips his phone out of his pocket looking flushed and frustrated. He glances at the screen, then slides it open and turns his back to you. You take the opportunity to tug your shirt back down and smooth your hair. "Yes?" He says gruffly. Then a pause as he's listening to the caller on the other end. "Ok...now?" Another pause. "Alright, I'll be there in a minute." Then he ends the call and turns slowly back around to face you. Looking you up and down he finally says, "I have to go. I'll be back soon." Then, taking a step toward you and looking fiercely into your eyes, "Please don't go anywhere." You just look up at him, back still pressed against the wall. He then turns to leave you standing there and after the door is closed, you exhale and slide slowly to the floor, head collapsing into your arms.


	18. I Won't Lie Down

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You go to a pub with Taron and some friends and things get interesting...

You sit on the floor of Taron's trailer, too overwhelmed with everything that's going on to move. How did you let this happen? Everything is such a mess and you feel like it's all your fault. After all, if you hadn't taken this job in the first place, none of this would be happening. Lisa and Anthony wouldn't have gotten together; you wouldn't have to be putting up with Colin's unwanted advances. Olivia would have no reason to hate you; and not to mention that you wouldn't have fallen for Taron. Well, one problem at a time. Right now, you need to get yourself out of this trailer before Taron comes back and wants to pick up where you left off. How could you have been so stupid to kiss him like that? You know it was wrong and can only cause problems for you both. How are you now going to explain to him that it was a mistake and can never happen again? You think you know what needs to be done, but you are dreading doing it. For the time being however, you drag yourself off the floor and quickly dash to the make-up trailer to get your things and get out of this studio as quickly as possible. You will deal with what needs to be done later.

Once back at the B&B, you shower for the second time today, hoping to wash away the day's events. You slip into p.j's and crawl into the safety of your bed. You text your mom back so that she won't worry, and then put your phone on "do not disturb". You then snuggle down into the safety of the blankets, close your eyes and try and not think about anything except sleep.

You don't do much else over the course of the next two days. The studio has had to postpone the regular filming schedule to film on location at the Royal Academy of Music since this is the only time they can film there with the child actor playing Elton. It couldn't be better timing actually since you can't imagine being around people at the moment. All you want to do is stay curled up in your bed as long as possible. You know it's not healthy, but you just need a little time to yourself for your own mental well-being. You also know that Taron, and most likely Lisa, have probably been trying to contact you, but your phone is of no interest to you right now.

At the end of the two days, knowing that you need to pull yourself out of your funk; you shower, dress and head downstairs to help Julia with dinner for her current guests. For the first time in weeks, you eat with the fellow lodgers and enjoy amiable conversation having nothing to do with movies, relationships or drama. You almost feel like yourself again when you crawl back into your bed that evening to get a good night's sleep for the following day at the studio.

The next morning, after you've gotten yourself ready for the day, you are not surprised that Taron doesn't arrive to drive you to the studio. You can't really blame him after not responding to his nearly twenty texts and phone calls over the last two days. You actually feel pretty horrible about that and will apologize, but you know it will be nothing compared to the blow you are about to deliver.

After taking a taxi to the studio, your first order of business is to track down Lizzie to have a conversation with her. It doesn't take long to find her meandering around the costume trailer, and after asking to speak with her in private, you explain what you've been thinking about for the last two days. When you are done with your conversation, you make your way hesitantly to the make-up trailer. You sigh in relief when you find it empty, and go about setting up your things for the day. You look over the chart that you will be needing, and see that you will require some darker tinted eyebrow make-up. You don't see it in the normal supplies or in the cabinet that holds extra stockpiles of make-up, so you wander into the bathroom to see if what you're looking for might be in there.

You are searching the shelves with your back to the door when you hear it close behind you. A feeling of panic washes over you as you spin around to see Taron standing not a foot away from you.

"Taron", you gasp. "What are you doing in here?" You ask as your heart rate escalates.

"We need to talk', he says and you can hear the desperation in his voice.

"About what?" You ask as if this isn't obvious.

"About what happened the other evening. Where have you been for the last two days? Why haven't you responded to my calls or texts?" He says moving closer and you involuntarily take a step back but there isn't much room to do so.

"I-I needed time to think", you stammer not looking into his eyes. You know if you do you will surely crumble. He closes the distance between you and your back presses against the wall. Taron cages you with his arms, his palms flat against the wall on either side of your shoulders as he leans in close.

"Please don't shut me out", he whispers into your ear. "This is killing me..." You swallow hard and close your eyes as his head dips down to press a soft kiss on the skin where your neck and shoulder meet.

"Taron...", you whisper in a plead for him to stop but he takes it as encouragement to keep going. He moves up a few inches to press another kiss, firmer this time, higher up on your neck. Your palms go instinctively to his chest and press gently. You know you need to stop this, but your body is saying something different. You force your brain to form words on your mouth. "Taron, I can't. We can't...", you say and push him away. He drops his hands and looks deeply at you and you see dark circles under his puffy swollen eyes. Scanning his face, you also notice that he has two days' worth of stubble and there are a few break-outs around his chin. You've never seen him so disheveled, not that it does anything to diminish his attractiveness. He's still the most breathtakingly beautiful man you've ever laid eyes on, which makes this even more difficult, not to mention his kind and loving heart that you don't fancy breaking.

"Why? What's wrong? If it's about Colin...", he trails off searching your face.

"No", you interrupt. "It has nothing to do with Colin. We just..I just made a mistake. It's my fault and I'm sorry", you try and explain but he just looks at you with a lost and perplexed expression. "I need to get to work", you say trying to push past him.

"Get to work?" He asks. "But I'm right here, you can't do anything without me", he attempts at lightening the mood.

Shit. Here we go.

"So no one's told you", you say more as a statement than a question.

"Told me what?" Taron asks hesitantly.

"Taron, I've asked Lizzie...I requested that... Olivia and I switch", you say quietly. Taron just stares at you, eyebrows drawn together in confusion. When he doesn't respond, you go on. "I'm doing Richard now, Olivia's with you", you say meekly as you peek up at him and immediately wish you hadn't. The most tortured expression crosses over his face and you have to look away to keep from crying. A few moments of silence pass as he continues to gape at you; then he exhales loudly and you blink at him a few times. "Taron?"

"Got it", he replies emotionless and turns on his heel to leave the bathroom.

You hang your head and will the tears not to come. It had to be done. Right? It really is the best thing for everyone involved. You never should have let things go this far between you two. You ARE just colleagues and you have to stop whatever is happening between you before it's too late and this is the best way. You have to separate yourself from Taron. He'll understand eventually. Right?

After you feel like enough time has passed for you to leave the bathroom in case anyone is hanging around that might have seen Taron just leave, you slip out the door to find the trailer empty once again. Sighing heavily and not knowing what else to do but get to work, you continue on your search of the eyebrow make-up to make Richard's brows darker. You finally locate it amongst the various tubes and bottles strewn about on the counter in front of his chair. After a few more minutes, Richard comes breezing through the door talking on his phone. He smiles up at you when he sees you, then ends his call and sits down in front of you.

"Well hello there, I understand that you and I are together now?" He asks innocently smiling up at you.

"Yes, that's correct...I hope that's ok," You say as an afterthought. It just now occurs to you that this affects more people than just you, and you hope you haven't caused a huge debacle.

"Of course, I think it's lovely! I just hope Taron is ok with it?" He asks eyeing you and you wonder just how much he knows.

"I'm sure he'll be fine", you respond knowing full well he most certainly is not fine. Richard just nods his head at you and you get to work. You keep glancing at the door waiting for Taron to return and dreading how uncomfortable it will be when he finally does come back. But it turns out you don't need to worry because he never does, and you find out later that he chose to have his make-up done in his trailer. Probably for the best anyway, although you have to admit, it makes you a little sad. Richard's hair and make-up are easy enough, and the day passes quickly despite the fact that your heart races every time you see Taron, wondering if there will be another confrontation. But there isn't, and the day ends uneventfully with you going back to the B&B for an early dinner and early bedtime.

The next few weeks however are the most miserable two weeks you've had on the job yet. Taron and Richard are filming the bulk of their scenes together now so you are almost always there at the same time. Sometimes Taron has his makeup done in his trailer, sometimes in the make-up trailer, and you can tell that Olivia is loving every minute of it. Over the course of the two weeks, his attitude toward you goes from longing, to pain, to anger to indifference. He doesn't say anything to indicate these feelings toward you, but you can just tell by his actions and the way he looks at you, and it honestly breaks your heart. Richard is charming and kind as ever so that helps to take your mind of things a little, but the worst times are when you're alone. The times when you are waiting for touch-ups or for them to be done with a scene. Sometimes, when you know they will be filming for awhile, you will even slip into Taron's trailer just to feel close to him. You sit on his couch, smell his clothes, you've even laid on his bed once. That's what you miss the most, the closeness. You miss his little jokes and the way he looks at you when you're talking; you miss touching his face and seeing him smile. You miss hearing him call you "love" and the endearing way he touches the tip of your nose sometimes. You miss his tender embraces and the simple ways he finds to touch you. You just miss Taron. As pathetic as it is, you've even taken to wearing his jacket, which you still have, to bed just to feel like he is holding you as you sleep. You know it's just a crush and you will get over it; but it's hard when you have to see him every day.

One Friday evening, you and Olivia are both working on Richard and Taron at the same time next to each other in the make-up trailer. The guys are deep in conversation about some local band that will be playing at a nearby pub tonight.

"We should get a group together and go check them out when we're done", Richard says talking to Taron with his eyes closed as you apply his concealer.

"I don't know mate, I'm pretty beat", Taron replies as Olivia adjusts his wig.

"Come on, what, are you fifty?" Richard teases. "It'll be fun and God knows we all need a break. You in?" He asks you tapping your arm. "Olivia?" Lord, why did he have to ask her? There's no way you will go if she's going, even if you were interested.

"I have plans", she replies simply and you roll your eyes. Richard notices and stifles a laugh which makes you smile.

"Well, what about you then?" He asks directing his question to you. You glance over at Taron who is watching you out of the corner of his eye and he looks away quickly.

"I don't know...it's going to be late and I probably wouldn't be much fun to be around", you say peeking over at Taron again. He's looking straight ahead uninterested as ever.

"Geez you guys are a bunch of losers!" Richard exclaims. "T, you're coming. And tell this one", he says pointing up at you, "that she needs to get her ass there too." Taron glances in your direction and then over to Richard.

"She can come if she wants. She's a big girl", Taron responds blandly and it's not lost on you that he's referring to you in the third person. You glare over at him and he holds your gaze for a moment before looking away.

"It's settled then!" Richard says clapping his hands together and you look back at him. "The three of us are in and I'll gather a few others. It'll be fun!"

Wait, what did you just get pulled into? You're going to a pub to hear a band with Richard, a few others and...Taron? Shit. This can't end well. You finish up with Richard and try to think up an excuse to get out of it but none comes to you. Maybe it would be good for you. If there's enough people there, you should be able to keep your distance from Taron, right?

A few hours later, they are done filming and out of make-up and currently discussing who's riding with whom. It somehow gets decided that you, Richard, Jamie and a couple of female crew members, Mandy and Sarah, will ride in Richard's car. While Taron and a three male cast and crew mates, Daniel, Jason, and...well you can't remember the other one's name, will ride in Taron's car. You sit in the back of Richard's vehicle squished between the two other girls, silently wishing you'd been able to come up with an excuse. Oh well, too late now.

When you arrive at the pub, you all pile out and make your way inside where there is loud, albeit pleasant sounding music, coming from the stage of the small venue. It's actually not what you would think of as a pub at all but more of an intimate bar with a small dance floor and stage set up for musicians. There are tables and chairs lining the perimeter, and your group shuffles clumsily around them until you miraculously find an empty one that will hold all of you. You all sit and then Jamie and Sarah take drink orders. You order your typical gin and tonic and then settle in to try and listen to the band as Mandy begins to talk your ear off about "the funniest thing that happened on set today". Not wanting to sit here listening to her any longer, you jump up and offer to help with the drinks. After putting the beverages on Jamie's tab which he apparently keeps open here, the three of you carry them back to the table, distribute them, and sit to enjoy the music. Taron is sitting across from you having his own conversation with Richard, but it's too loud to hear anything he's saying. Every now and then you glance over at him and find that he occasionally does the same thing. Each time your eyes meet, you both look in other directions. You feel like a damn school girl trying not to get caught spying on her crush.

Three drinks later, you are feeling pretty good and not worried about Taron anymore. The band has turned out to be quite enjoyable playing a mixture of their own music, along with some covers of Snow Patrol, The Killers and Keane which you happen to love. The two girls have paired up with two of the guys to dance, and you are left at the table with the remaining guy, Clint you think; Jamie, Richard and Taron.

"Well, I think I'm ready to dance!" Jamie exclaims. He glances around the table and seeing that you are the only female left, holds out his hand to you. "Care to join me?" Your eyes dart to Taron's which of course are now locked on yours, but since you are feeling quite buzzed at the moment, you don't really care.

"Sure!" You answer back happily and have to steady yourself on the chair just a bit as you stand. You've been sitting for too long and it takes you a minute to adjust to the alcohol hitting all your senses. Once you get your bearings, you take Jamie's hand as he leads you to the dance floor. A fast-paced brit-pop song is playing and you enjoy the beat of it as Jamie takes you by the hands to twirl you around. You are laughing and talking loudly with him to be heard over the music as you dance, and it feels good to be doing something enjoyable and social for once, and not having to worry about anything. You have to admit that this is the most fun you've had in a long time and you're glad you decided to come. Or rather, was instructed to come by Richard. After awhile, you look around at the other people on the dance floor and notice Taron about ten feet away now dancing with Mandy. You feel a flare of jealously for a moment, but then quickly push it away. You are feeling too good right now to get dragged down into that madness. "I think I'd like another drink!" You say loudly to Jamie.

"Ok", he says laughing. "I'll go get one for you."

"Thanks!" You say and continue to dance alone. Then Sarah comes up to you and the two of you dance together, just being silly and giggling with each other. Then Richard approaches and the three of you dance in a sort of lopsided circle. Jamie returns shortly thereafter with your drink which you down in two gulps right there on the dance floor. The room starts to spin a bit while the steady pulse of the music beats throughout your whole body. Richard and Sarah have now paired off and moved a few feet away, and Jamie has disappeared, so you are left alone again. But you don't care, you are loving this time too much to care about anything as you sway and move to the vibrating beat. You close your eyes to feel the music even deeper, which turns out to be a mistake because when you re-open them, the room suddenly starts to rotate around you and your body feels like it's floating above the floor. You squint your eyes and look around for something to hold onto so you don't loose your footing completely, but all you see are gyrating bodies.

Suddenly, you feel hands at your waist from behind you and assume that Jamie is back from wherever he went. You are thankful that he has reappeared at this moment so that you don't face plant on the floor. You turn around slowly to face him, and are shocked to find Taron standing there with the most irritated look on his face.

"T-Taron", you stutter.

"You're drunk, you need to go sit down", he orders.

"No", you say firmly like an insolent child. You feebly push at his chest and continue, "I don't want to sit down Tarrronnn. I'm having fuuuuun." You can hear the slurring in your voice and you would be embarrassed if you weren't feeling so inebriated. His eyebrows pull together as he thinks something over.

"Ok fine", he says and pulls you abruptly to him. Your eyes go wide as one arm snakes around your waist and the other presses firmly against your back. Your palms are flush against his chest and your eyes dart around the room to see who might be watching. No one is of course; everyone is just having a good time so you relax into him a little. You look up into his heated eyes and can't quite read the look there. Anger? Frustration? Something else?

The next song is a slower one and he starts to sway with you gently on the dance floor. You are glad that he's holding you so tight because the movement is making you dizzy. All thoughts of prying eyes gone, your hands slip up and around his neck as you pull him closer. His eyes close momentarily and you hear him exhale, even over the loud music. It's another Keane cover that you recognize, and you start to sing along, closing your eyes and letting Taron lead you.

"I see you in the service station sign  
I see you in the supermarket line  
I see you silhouetted on a wall  
But I don't see myself there at all"

You open your eyes to see Taron gazing down at you, lids half closed, lips parted. His lips look so delicious and you can't help but remember what they felt like on yours. The gentle but demanding way he pressed his mouth to yours. The warm sensation of his tongue. It sends goosebumps over your entire body and you have to look away. Feeling suddenly parched, you lick your lips as he watches you with fascination. His face is so close to yours you can feel his breath; his body pressed so firmly against your own it makes your head spin. You feel the need to pull away but you can't; you are locked into this moment with him. All you can do is try and focus on the music and the words the band is singing.

"Hard times got the upper hand  
Stole our feeble plans  
The faces, shot me, spin me round  
But I won't lie down"

You feel Taron's hand dip lower to rest just above your backside; his palm presses firmly there, and now you are the one to gasp. His other hand moves up under your hair to cradle the back of your neck. It makes you remember how his hands felt on your skin and you instantly crave more. You can't take it any longer, so you wrap your hands further around his neck and shoulders, and lean into him for an intimate embrace. His arms go tightly around you and for just this moment, you are where you've wanted to be for weeks, tucked safely back in his arms. You close your eyes and feel like you're finally home as you hear the last few fading lyrics of the song.

"No I won't lie down  
No I won't lie down  
I won't lie down"

Your lips are just grazing his neck as you hear him say hoarsely in your ear, "Let's get you out of here". You pull back slightly to look into his aching eyes and nod your head. Taron immediately takes you by the hand and leads you off the dance floor. He supports you by the arm, which is good since the room is still spinning, as you stop by the table where a few of your pub mates are lingering.

"I'm going to take her home", Taron shouts over the roaring music that has started back up. "You guys ok getting back in one car?" He directs his question toward Richard.

"Yeah mate, we'll figure it out", Richard answers back just as loudly. His eyes slide over to you then back to Taron with an expression on his face that you can't begin to decipher in your wasted state.

"Thanks mate, see ya," Taron exclaims, then leads you out of the pub into the cool night air which you find extremely refreshing after the stuffy and noisy club atmosphere. He walks you to his car, opens the door, then straps you in after you are settled inside. It reminds you of the night after sneaking onto the Troubadour set when you were so tired, but this time, you really do need help getting yourself situated. You look groggily out the windshield at him as he crosses around to get into the driver's side. Lolling your head back against the headrest, you look at Taron longingly as he starts the car and pulls out of the parking lot. He looks back at you in much the same way, and that's the last thing you remember...


	19. Another Drunken Night

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Taron takes you back to his flat after you get plastered.

You're not sure where you are, but you know it's somewhat familiar. You have a vague recollection of sitting in a car with Taron. He was asking you something over and over. What was he asking? You don't exactly know, but what you do know is that this is definitely not the B&B. First of all, the smell is not right. It's a clean, new modern type of smell. Second, you're pretty sure you're in an elevator because you can hear dinging, and you recognize the sensation of descending upward. You know the B&B most definitely does not have an elevator, or lift as they call them here. You can feel the cold, hard surface of the elevator wall behind your back, but you can't see anything. Why can't you see anything?? Oh right, because your eyes are closed. You peak out from under your heavy lids to see numbers lighting up on the wall; and mirrored doors where you can see your reflection, as well as Taron's, there beside you. It's at this moment that you realize you can feel him holding you up against him. He's got his right arm slung around your waist and his other arm is hooked around your left arm. A very loud ding interrupts your thought process and you jump slightly.

"Ok, here we are love", you hear Taron say near your ear. Something about hearing him call you "love" triggers something in your subconscious; but you are suddenly propelled forward, so now all you can think about is how you're moving because you can't feel your legs. Looking down, you do in fact see your feet somehow moving one in front of the other. Taron is still supporting the majority of your weight with his body, which you are thankful for, otherwise you'd be a crumpled heap on the floor.

"Wh, where am I?" You manage to mumble out.

"My flat", Taron responds as he removes something, a key, from his pocket and slips it into the lock.

"But...why?" you ask lazily.

"Because you're too wasted to go home", he responds dryly pushing against the door and dragging you inside. Odd, you think, although you have no idea why. He swiftly closes the door behind you and ushers you through the darkened apartment to a room with a bed against one wall. He lowers you down onto it and you slump against the pillows. You feel him untying and removing your shoes and it somehow seems familiar. Then he's gone and you feel yourself drifting off into unconsciousness. Suddenly, he's back by your side and setting something down beside you. He says your name firmly and your eyes pop open. You can see the blurry outline of him in the darkness hovering over you and his worried eyes searching your face. "I'm leaving some aspirin and water here next to you in case you need it", you hear him explain in a slow drawn-out way. "The bathroom is over there", and he points somewhere beyond the bed to your right but you don't look. "I'm going to be on the couch in the living room if you need me", he says stepping away. This all seems VERY familiar and you are suddenly alert.

"No... Taron, wait, stay with me", you plead as you reach your arms out to him. He leans over you again and gazes into your eyes, and the look of concern is back. He is just out of your reach and you suddenly feel desperate to touch him. It takes everything in you, but you lean further over so that your fingertips are just brushing his forearms.

"What's wrong?" He says with a look of confusion on his face. You finally grasp a fistful of his shirt at the hem and feebly pull him toward you. He sits on the edge of the bed next to you, scanning your eyes and lightly brushing your hair away from your face.

"I just need you here Taron", you say softly and you're not sure why but your eyes fill with tears. He must see this because his eyebrows pull together as he studies you closely. You are still clinging to him, and he puts an arm around your shoulder and pulls you into him.

"It's ok, I'm here", he says softly. He begins to untie his shoes and remove them one-handed so you relax and close your eyes. You are just dozing off into a peaceful state resting against his warm chest, when you hear him say your name almost in a whisper.

"Hmm?" You say dreamily, eyes still closed.

"Can I ask you a question?" He says and you feel the soft vibration of his chest under your cheek.

"Sure", you murmur.

"Why did you want to switch with Olivia?" Even in your inebriated state, you know this is much too heavy of a conversation to be having right now.

"Taron, please don't ask me that. I can't explain right now", you say using all your effort just to get those words out. There are a few moments of silence and you think the conversation is over, then he speaks again so quietly you don't know if you've even heard him right.

"I just...miss you", he says sadly and this makes your heart break for the hundredth time this week. But before you can respond, he speaks again. "Do you...miss me?"

Oh God.

"Taron...it's just better this way", you respond without answering his question. Of course you miss him, but admitting that now will do no good.

"For who exactly?" He retorts a little louder sounding annoyed.

"I don't know, I can't think...everything is just so screwed up. The last few weeks have been miserable for me," you say not able to stop the whininess in your voice. You're having trouble keeping your eyes open and you feel yourself drifting. He pulls away from you a bit as he tilts your chin up so that he can see into your eyes. You force your eyes to stay open so that you can look into his and you're startled to see so much emotion there.

"I'm sorry...is there anything I can do to make it better?" He asks. You blink at him a few times, then find his eyes again in the darkness. You consider his question for a moment. You're not sure what causes you to do it, at this point all reasonable thought has escaped you, but you bring your hands to his face and begin to trace his features. Your fingertips brush over his eyebrows, down his eyelids and across his cheekbones. You then let your fingers travel down his cupid's bow to his perfectly shaped lips. It's almost imperceptible, but you think you hear his breath hitch. Holy hell, why are his lips so soft and why isn't he stopping you? And why aren't you stopping yourself? His lips part at your touch and you feel his warm breath on your fingertips as they linger there a moment longer. Then, placing your hands on either side of his chiseled jaw, you pull his face to yours. Your eyes close and all you can feel is his scratchy stubble underneath your fingers, and the intense pounding of your heart, when he quickly grabs your wrists to pull them away. Your hands feel agonizingly empty as you now grasp thin air and open your eyes to look at him questioningly. Taron says your name quietly as if in an apology, as he places your hands gently down on the bed. He is moving to get up and you reach out and grab his arm to stop him.

"Taron wait. What's wrong? Don't you like me anymore?" You ask pouting slightly.

"Like you?" He repeats. "That isn't really the point, is it?" He asks rhetorically. You just look at him, genuinely perplexed at his reaction.

"It's just a kiss Taron. A kiss never hurt anyone", you say like a petulant child. Why would you even say something like that??

"It wouldn't be right. You're drunk and you don't know what you're doing. I'd feel like I was taking advantage", he says with a pained expression. You stare up at him and he stares right back at you.

"I'm not that drunk", you say as you release him and collapse back on the pillow.

He laughs sharply at this, "Not that drunk?! I had to practically drag your ass out of the car, up the lift and into this flat!"

You are not amused and you continue your provocation, "Don't you want to kiss me?" You ask feeling bold. Maybe you really are that drunk. You hear the words coming out of your mouth, but it's like they're being spoken by someone else entirely. This definitely doesn't seem like you...

"That has nothing to do with it", he retorts. You hesitate for a moment, consider leaving it at that, and then decide against it.

"Please?" You ask and cringe inwardly at your pathetic begging. He considers you for a moment, visibly shudders, then hesitantly nestles back down next to you. You watch his every move with wide eyes. Taron looks at you closely for an agonizingly long time. Then, you see something like resolve pass over his face.

"What are you doing to me?" Taron whispers as he gently cups your face and leans slowly in. Your hand reaches out to grasp his jaw again as his lips find yours. It's a chaste kiss, sweet and gentle. He starts to pull away but you hold him firmly in place by his jaw. His eyes lock onto yours in a questioning look, but you lean into him to lightly touch your lips to his again. He responds cautiously, pressing his mouth softly against yours and you can feel him tense. But after a moment, he starts to relax as he melts into you; and then finally gives in as your lips crush together. His right hand goes to the nape of your neck while his left snakes around your waist, grasping you tightly. You hear a small moan come somewhere from the back of his throat which gets your blood pumping, so you reach up with your other hand to tangle your fingers into his hair. You pull him in closer to you so there is no mistaking that you want this. Your lips part and the delicious feeling of his warm tongue invades your sensations. The kiss has deepened significantly into something passionate and desperate; and you lie back pulling him with you so that he can move over you on the bed. His hands are on either side of your chest, supporting his weight on strong arms; and your legs intertwine with his as he shifts his body completely over yours. Your hands travel from his head, over his shoulders to his muscled arms, then across the wide expanse of his back. Your fingers move down to the hem of his t-shirt, lift it and feel the warm skin underneath. You spread your palms wide against his back enjoying the feeling of the heat radiating there. You drag your nails gently up under his shirt, and he groans and arches in response, pressing his body more fully against yours.

You feel completely sober now. Taron's lips have left your mouth and are now working their way down your jaw, across your collarbone and up the other side of your neck. You whisper his name breathlessly, and this seems to fuel the fire of his mouth on your skin. Needing to feel more of him, you grab the hem of his shirt and start to raise it over his body. He takes hold of it with one hand and swiftly pulls it over his head, then immediately resumes his onslaught of kisses to your feverish skin. Your hands go to his chest and caress the soft hair there. Your fingers descend down to his smooth stomach and rest lightly on the waistband of his jeans. He pulls up from your neck and looks at you with heat-filled eyes. "How drunk are you?" He asks in a low husky voice. You swallow hard.

"Drunk enough to feel uninhibited... but sober enough to know that I want you", you say bravely holding his gaze. You both continue to stare intensely at each other as you slowly begin to unbutton his jeans. His eyes flutter closed as you lower the zipper, and you see his eyebrows knit together as he exhales sharply. You can see that he's having one of his internal struggles, but you push his jeans down a bit anyway and then.........

You sit bolt upright in the bed. A wave of confusion, exhaustion and nausea wash over you. It takes you a good three minutes to realize where you are. You are laying in Taron's bed, alone, with the worst headache you think you've ever experienced. You literally feel like you just got run over by the Tube. A million questions fill your mind all at once. Were you just dreaming about Taron? Was he here in the bed with you at some point? What were you talking about? Did you and he...kiss? You don't even know, all you do know is that your need to visit the restroom is almost as desperate as your need for aspirin. Wait, aspirin, you remember something about aspirin... You look over to the night table and see the glass of water and two white pills that Taron had left for you. You quickly gulp them down, then shuffle groggily to the bathroom. You think you remember him telling you where it was, but the flat isn't very big and you figure it out it pretty fast. When you reach it, the door is closed and you are just grabbing for the handle; when it suddenly swings open and Taron is standing there looking disheveled, shocked and wide-eyed. His hair is sticking out at odd angles and his face and hairline are damp. You are pretty shocked yourself, not expecting to find him here.

"Taron?" You ask him disoriented and confused. "Are you ok?" He is looking at you with a wild expression. After a moment, he takes a step closer to you and eyes your body slowly, up and down. You look down and suddenly realize you are only wearing a t-shirt and your underwear, so you tug the hem down self-consciously. When and how did that happen? He says your name in more of a question than a statement, and his voice comes out hoarse and raspy.

"I had a d...dream...about you...about us", he says in a daze.

"Oh?" You say sheepishly. What were we doing?" You ask and immediately regret the question. But he doesn't answer anyway. He takes one more step to close the space between you, then places his hands on either side of your waist, pulling your body flush against his. The sensitive flesh of your thighs pressed against his rough jeans makes you shudder. He backs you up against the door frame; eyes half-closed, lips parted, his chest rising and falling rapidly. You look down at your bodies fused together, swallow hard and look back up into his heated gaze. "Taron...what are you doing?" You ask him nervously as you notice how your chest is now heaving in much the same way. When he doesn't respond, you say his name a little more forcefully, "TARON." At the abrupt sound of your voice, he blinks rapidly with a stunned look, apparently snapped out of whatever trance he seemed to be in. He pulls his hands away sharply and backs away from you.

"Oh God, I'm sorry", he says as he moves out of the doorway and steps aside so you can enter the bathroom. You go inside and slowly turn around to see him still standing there with a look of complete terror in his eyes. You grasp the handle of the door, and never taking your eyes off his, shut it quietly in his face.

You have to steady yourself against the cool marble of the bathroom countertop, and you're not sure if it's because you can still feel the lingering affects of the alcohol, or because of what just transpired between you and Taron. You have a feeling it's because of the latter. You gaze up at yourself in the mirror and see red-rimmed eyes, a pale complexion and tousled hair looking back at you. What the hell just happened? Taron said he had a dream about the two of you, but weren't you the one that just woke up from an intense dream about him? You try and recall it but the details are too fuzzy, so you scrunch up your eyes trying desperately to remember what it was. You were in his bed...you were...talking, then...kissing...and then there was something more... Just the memory of the recalled dream makes your skin feel hot and your heart rate quicken. You turn on the tap and run cold water into your hands then splash it onto your face. It helps, but only a little. You use the facilities, wash your hands, then look back at the closed door. How are you going to go back out there after what just happened? What DID just happen? You still don't know but this all just becoming too much. You know you can't stay in this bathroom forever, so bucking up the courage, you turn the handle and walk out apprehensively. Your eyes scan the small apartment space looking for any sign of Taron, but he is nowhere to be found. Odd. Going back to the bedroom, you look at the clock on the bedside table, 3:39 am. You see your discarded pants on the floor and your purse on a nearby chair. Your phone is inside your purse, so you quickly dial the number for the taxi service you use, while simultaneously pulling on your jeans.

After calling for a taxi and gathering your wits, you fumble through the dark apartment to make your way to the front door. As you pass the kitchen, something on the shiny white countertop catches your eye. You move closer to it and see that it's a small piece of paper with something hand-written on it; and a few dollar bills, or euros rather, haphazardly strewn next to it. You lean in close to see what the writing says, and squinting your eyes to make out the scribbled words in the dark you read:

I'm sorry. I had to get out of here. Please stay as long as you need to and use the money for a taxi when you're ready to leave. - T

You stare blinking at the paper and bills for several seconds trying to figure out what it means. You're not sure why, but it leaves you with a very uneasy feeling, and frankly, a bit offended. Leaving the note and money right where you found them, you leave the apartment quietly, take the elevator down to the lobby, and thankfully, find your taxi already waiting for you outside. Once inside the vehicle, you stare out the window at the dark peaceful streets and buildings passing by in a blur; imagining all the sleeping residents without a care in the world, and wishing you were one of them.

After arriving at your B&B, you pay the cabbie with your own money and slip discreetly inside and up the stairs. You drop your purse and phone in your room, then go into the bathroom and lock the door. You stare at yourself in the mirror with a look of disgust on your face. Disgust at what? Taron's behavior? Your own? You suddenly become extremely nauseous and proceed to violently expel the contents of your stomach into the toilet. When there is nothing else to purge, you lean your head back on the cool tile wall and close your eyes. Deciding a shower would probably be fitting, you strip out of your clothes and step into the steamy shower. You hope you don't wake any of the guests since it is probably nearing on 5 am. As you let the almost scalding water run down your body, the tears flow freely down your face and again you're not really sure why. You just want things to go back to the way they were but you have no idea how to make that happen.

After your shower, you walk back to your room clad in a towel praying that no one happens to be wandering around the hall this early in the morning. If you're lucky, you can get a couple hours of sleep before you have to be at the studio, although you're not counting on it. After changing into your pj's, you grab Taron's jacket and slip it over your shoulders. It's become such a habit now, you don't even have to think about it. Climbing into bed, you wrap yourself up in the jacket, inhale deeply, and pray for sleep to come. Right before you drift off, the dream suddenly materializes with perfect clarity in your mind and you feel yourself flush, even though you are alone in the room. One single thought persists just as you are slipping into an unconscious state:

It was just a dream, wasn't it???


	20. Enough is Enough

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You and Taron have an argument.

The next thing you know, you are waking to the sun blinding you through the window in your bedroom. You sling your arm over your eyes to block it from your view, and try to figure out if you actually got any sleep. Endless waking dreams plagued your few hours of slumber, and you don't feel any better now than you did when your head hit the pillow only hours ago. Sighing heavily, you remove your arm and reach over to grab your phone from the night table, and are surprised to see a text from Taron waiting for you.

Taron: Can I come pick you up this morning? I need to talk...

Shit. Your heart-rate immediately picks up like it does every time you see Taron, talk to Taron, etc... You look at the time the text was sent, 6:45 am, fifteen minutes ago. You wonder briefly if he's gotten any rest himself before opening up the text to respond.

You: Yes that's fine. What time?

You see that he starts to type right away.

Taron: Thirty minutes.

That's all he types, and you simply respond with, "Ok."

No laying around in bed for you. Trying not to to dwell too much on what he wants to talk about, you get up out of bed, reluctantly remove his jacket, and set to work getting yourself ready. You've been so distracted by your "problems" that you have no idea what is even on the agenda for today.

Approximately thirty minutes later, you look out the window to see Taron's car sitting in the drive. You don't know how long he's been there; but you square your shoulders, take a deep breath, and head out the door to meet him.

He smiles politely at you as you enter the vehicle, and you can't help but notice that he looks as terrible as you feel. He has dark circles under his eyes, his face is red and splotchy and his hair is disheveled. Almost as if he's noticed your appraisal of him, he reaches into the back seat to grab a baseball cap, and pulls it down low over his head.

He pulls out of the driveway and starts the short drive to the studio. The silence in the car is deafening as both of you stare straight ahead. There's no music, nothing. You don't know if he's waiting for you to speak or if he's trying to work out what he wants to say. You wouldn't even begin to know where to start if you are supposed to go first.

Finally the silence is broken by Taron clearing his throat and saying your name tentatively.

"Yes Taron?" You answer and he glances over at you then back to the road.

"I need to know...what the fuck is going on here", he says abruptly and you are are little surprised by it.

"Wh-what do you mean exactly?" You know it's a dumb question, but you actually don't know what he means since there are about fifty different things "going on here". At least in your mind. He sighs as if he's annoyed at having to explain himself.

"Well, first of all, why did you kiss me the other night in my trailer?"

Wow, he's just really going for it isn't he? You consider his question for a moment, looking down at your hands.

"Well, technically, you kissed me first", you say hesitantly peeking over at him. He glares over at you with that damn eyebrow raised and lips pursed.

"You provoked me. I was angry", he responds, his voice low. You really can't tell what kind of mood he's in so you're not sure how to react.

"So that's why you kissed me? Because you were angry??" You say a little more harshly.

"That's partly why. And then you pushed me away, which I don't blame you for, but then you kissed me", he says like he really can't figure this part out.

You hesitate for a moment, trying to figure out how to form the words. "I don't know what you want me to say Taron. I was confused, hurting and...I guess a part of me wanted to kiss you", you say trying to explain but it doesn't sound right. You notice that you are pulling into the studio guard shack, that was fast, and the conversation is paused as Taron deals with the guard. Once through the gate, he drives on to park in the lot at the end of the street. He turns the car off, takes off his seatbelt, then shifts his body to turn and look at you. His despondent eyes tear at your heart and you have to look away for a moment.

"A part of you?" He says weakly. "I thought maybe that kiss meant something to you...to us. And then you didn't speak to me for two days", he says with sorrow in his voice. You hang your head in shame recalling the two days you spent in bed essentially ignoring him and everyone else, but he continues. "Then, when I finally see you again, you tell me you don't even want to work with me anymore? I just don't understand what I did wrong, besides telling Colin about your ex", he says now hanging his own head, and it kills you that he's still punishing himself for that. You know now that you totally overacted and could care less what Colin knows or thinks. You have bigger problems to deal with than him.

"Oh Taron, I'm sorry about that. I really am. You didn't do anything wrong. I just think it's best that we work separately", you say thinking that if you keep saying it out-loud, you might start to believe it yourself.

He throws his head back and lets it fall sharply on the headrest. "Uggh, why do you keep saying that?" He says sounding truly exasperated. You don't know how to respond since you really can't explain it yourself. He rolls his head to one side to gaze at you. "You said last night that you've been miserable the last few weeks. I've been miserable too...so how can that be best?" He asks, and his mention of last night triggers your dream memory again. You feel yourself flush and you hope that Taron hasn't noticed as well.

You don't answer his question, but instead, ask one of your own. "Speaking of last night, what exactly happened?" You ask eyeing him carefully. You desperately want to know, but at the same time, you're nervous to hear him tell you. He lifts his head and removes his hat. Running a hand through his now reddish, slightly balding hair, he sighs and looks over at you.

"Well let's see, you got completely pissed at the pub, I took you home and you passed out on my bed", he says matter-of-factly. You tilt your head at him and squint your eyes.

"I know there was more to it than that," you say waiting for him to elaborate.

"Yes, there was, but I'm trying to be a gentleman", he says looking dead into your eyes. Your pulse quickens at these words.

"Oh, like you were last night?" You counter flippantly.

"Excuse me?" He says leaning a little closer to you and you swallow down a lump.

"Why did I wake up with no pants Taron?" You ask unflinching.

"How the fuck should I know? You must've taken them off yourself at some point", he responds with increasing anger in his voice which only irritates you more.

"What else happened last night Taron? Tell me", you finally say resolutely crossing your arms over your chest.

Taron leans in close, eyes fixed steadily on yours, and you have to back up into the door as he says, "We talked a bit, then you passed out. End of story." Then he leans back in his seat and crosses his own arms, still studying you carefully.

"What about the bathroom?", You ask cautiously.

"What about the bathroom?" He responds with gritted teeth.

"What happened? Why did you...do what you did?" You ask nervously, not wanting to say the actual words. He watches you closely for several seconds, trying to determine how he wants to answer this, you suppose.

Sounding irritated, he finally speaks. "You really want to know?"

"Yes", you squeak out, so he continues.

"I had just had this...dream about us. I was trying to cool off then I opened the door; and there you were, looking all...hot and bothered, for lack of a better phrase." Your eyes go wide at his words but you don't say anything. "I honestly don't know what came over me, but I stopped myself, which you should be thankful for", he says eyeing you defiantly. This sends you over the edge.

"THANKFUL??? Thankful for what? That I didn't let you FUCK me right there in the bathroom???" You don't why his words have angered you so much, but they definitely have.

"OH MY GOD, that's not what I was trying to do", he says sounding completely infuriated as he runs his hands over his face.

"Well thank you Taron, thank you very much for not fucking me or whatever the hell it was you weren't trying to do", you practically spit at him. With that, you wrench open the car door, climb out and slam it shut behind you.

As you are storming off, you hear the muffled, yet distinct sound of Taron yelling inside the parked car, accompanied by some sort of banging noise.

You find Richard waiting for you inside the make-up trailer. "Hello there love!" You know he doesn't mean anything by it, but him calling you "love" definitely rubs you the wrong way at this particular moment.

"Hi", you respond gruffly and set your purse down a little heavier than necessary on the countertop. The expression on his face turns into a concerned one.

"Everything ok?" He asks tentatively.

"Oh yes, everything's just grand", you reply dryly, leaning back against the countertop to face him, hands across your chest.

"Ohhhhhh-k", he says. "Want to talk about it?" Before you can respond, Olivia comes gliding through the door with the most sickeningly sweet look on her face.

"Oh don't mind me", she practically sings. "Just grabbing a few things then I'm off to do Taron in his trailer", she says grinning from ear to ear and eyeing you as she says this. You don't even bother to hide the death glare you throw in her direction. You and Richard watch her flit around the trailer gathering supplies, then she departs as quickly as she came. After she's out of sight, you bury your head in your hands.

"Hey", you hear Richard say gently as he tugs the hem of your shirt. You peek out at him from behind your hands. "You need to talk to him", he states endearingly and you again wonder just how much he knows about you and Taron. You consider him for a few moments, then sigh and press your palms to the countertop on either side of you.

"I've tried that already Rich, doesn't work so well", you say with a resigned laugh.

"Want me...to talk to him?" He offers.

"No, definitely not", you say putting your palm out toward him to re-enforce that's the last thing you want. Things are weird enough as it is.

"Ok then, let me know if you change your mind", he says with a soft smile.

You just smile back at him and say, "Let's get to work shall we?" And you turn to grab the clipboard with today's scene notes on them, and try to focus on your work.

An hour later after you've gotten Richard ready for the day; the production crew, actors, make-up and costume people and a few others, all pile into golf carts to ride the mile or so away to the first location where today's scenes will be filmed. You are riding with a few random people, and you see Taron a few feet away riding in his own golf cart with Dex. He doesn't look at you once. Well what did you expect?

Upon arriving at the location where they will be filming, a neighborhood street with houses and trees lined down either side, you all pile out and go to your respective areas to set up and begin. You take your usual place on the sidelines to wait for needed touch-ups. You found out from Richard that this is the scene where Elton has just visited his dad for the first time after becoming famous. After this scene, you will all travel to another location to film yet another street scene where Elton is coming out to his mom over a phone call in a phone booth. Taron appears about fifty feet away wearing a grey suit over a red top with stars, large round rimmed glasses and a dangly earring in his right ear. He looks amazing as always, but there's a look on his face you can't quite decipher. You imagine he must be mentally preparing for the scene, and that whatever is going on in his mind must have to do with that. After waiting around for what seems like forever, you finally hear someone yell "places" and everyone does so. Taron, the actor playing his father, Steven; and the young actors that play his step-brothers, take their places outside the house. You hear Dex yell "action", and the crowd falls quiet as the scene unfolds.

You of course can't hear what's being said, but you see the two older men talking to each for a few moments, while the younger boys are playing around behind them. Then they start to walk toward the vintage Rolls-Royce parked on the curb. You are following the action with your eyes trying to figure out what exactly is happening in the scene, but you can definitely tell that there's some emotional tension there, at least for Elton. He steps into the waiting car and closes the door behind him. Steven then turns to walk back toward the house while Taron watches from inside the vehicle. You can't see Taron's face very well through the window, so you turn to look at a nearby monitor that is capturing the action. The father then picks up one of the kids, and the shot pans back to Elton watching them, and you see tears slowly fall down Taron's cheeks. All thoughts of your earlier argument gone, your hand goes involuntarily to your heart and you have to choke back your own tears at seeing him in pain. You know that it's just the part he's playing, but seeing him like this, so vulnerable, so alone, makes your heart crumble into a million pieces. They do a few more takes, and it's agonizing to watch him break down like that over and over. Finally Dex seems to feel satisfied and the final "cut" is called. Taron climbs out of the car, removes his jacket and wipes his eyes as he walks over to Dex. You want to keep watching him, but the next scene is with Richard, so you go to him to make sure he doesn't need any touch ups.

A few hours later, you have all arrived at your second destination and are getting ready to film again. Taron is in yet another Elton get-up, and he and Richard are taking their places inside the ridiculously expensive vehicle. The scene is set on a busy street in London starting out with John and Elton in the backseat of the car having an argument. Once Dex yells "action", you see Taron climb over Richard to get out of the car after having some heated words inside. Again, you can't hear what they're saying, but you can tell by the body language and facial expressions that it's a continuation of the quarrel in the car. Elton storms off and up the steps to a building on the side of the street. He then makes his way to a phone booth somewhere outside your line of sight, so you again turn to the monitor to watch. You still can't hear his words, but you can tell by the intense expressions on his face, that it's not a pleasant conversation he's having with his mother on the other end of the line. He goes from anger, to fear, to defiance, to expectancy, to relief, to despair all in a matter of moments. It just reminds you once again how incredible a performer Taron truly is, while simultaneously breaking your heart all over again. He then turns to leave the phone booth, but Richard is there waiting for him. Richard grabs at Taron's shirt to yank him out, which shocks both you and Elton. They have a few words, then Elton shoves John away, to which he retaliates back by forcefully slapping him in the face. You audibly gasp and immediately put your hand over your mouth hoping no one heard. You can feel the tears stinging the corners of your eyes and you know you need to get out of here before you lose it.

You don't know if they're going to do more takes or not, but at the moment, you don't really care. You look around to find a means of escape, and find it in a nearby public restroom. You wander inside, proceed into the first stall, then close the door behind you. Resting your back against the door, you finally let the tears flow, burying your face in your hands. You know this is not just from the scenes you just witnessed. Yes it was incredibly hard to watch Taron break down in those scenes, but he's an actor, that's his job. You know your reaction is just a culmination of all the recent events in your life, including this morning's real life argument with Taron in his car. But seeing him so emotional reminds you of everything he must be going through as well, and you're suddenly ashamed at just how ridiculous you've been lately.

That's it, you tell yourself. Enough. Wiping your face with your sleeve, you decide right then and there that enough is enough. Finally feeling resolved, you blow your nose with some toilet tissue, wipe away the last remnants of tears, and leave the bathroom feeling hopeful and determined to make things right.

When you return to the street, you see that they are just wrapping up the scene. After a few more minutes, Richard walks over to you with a relieved look on his face.

"Well, I'm glad that scene is over. I don't fancy slapping Taron over and over again, well not usually anyway", he says with a little wink.

"Yeah I know what you mean", you say grinning at him.

"And about what I said earlier", he says growing serious, "I really do think you should try talking to him again. It'll make you feel better, I promise." He puts his hand on your shoulder as he says this.

"Thanks Rich, I think you're probably right", you say. He smiles and pulls you in for a little half-arm hug which you welcome. It's comforting to know you have a friend here on set. As you lean in to accept the friendly embrace, you look over Richard's shoulder to see Taron standing not ten yards away, staring at you with a look of absolute resentment. You're not exactly sure what that's about, but you know it can't be good, and your eyes go wide as you pull back quickly from Richard.

"I think we're good to head back, shall we?" He asks motioning toward an open golf cart with a driver waiting to take you back to the studio.

"Yeah, sure. Sounds good", you reply shakily. You gather your supplies before joining Richard on the cart; and as you drive away, you glance back to find Taron amongst the crowd, but he is nowhere in sight.

You work quickly getting Richard out of hair and make-up, all while listening to him pump you up about your impending conversation with Taron. You do happen to agree with everything he says; you need to be able to talk to him uninterrupted, and without emotion getting in the way. Probably easier said than done. When you are finally finished, you say your goodbyes; then practically jog down to Taron's trailer, praying he's still there, and without Olivia.

Knocking lightly on the door, you wait patiently for him to answer. When he doesn't, you knock a little harder, which causes the door to nudge open slightly. Saying his name softly so as not to startle him, you step around the open door and find Taron sitting at the small table where he presumably has his make-up done. He's looking down, ringing his hands around a folded up piece of paper. When you enter the room, he glances up in your direction.

"What are you doing here?" He asks quietly and emotionless. He stands up, shoving the paper into his back pocket, and stares over at you, his eyes blank. Seeing him here standing before you brings all the emotions from earlier back to the front of your mind, and your heart aches. Up until this moment, you didn't really know what you were going to say to him; and now your mind is completely devoid of words, except for two.

"Oh Taron, I'm so sorry", you say crossing over to him. You want to hold him so badly, it physically hurts, but he doesn't make any movement to touch you. You throw your arms around him and hold on tight and it's at this moment, the tears begin to fall again. You are holding on to his neck so tightly, but he still hasn't made any motion to reciprocate. "Taron, please", you beg. Finally, and somewhat reluctantly, he puts his arms around you but doesn't pull you in like he normally does. You squeeze him tighter and place your hands against the back of his head. Without thinking of anything other than how much you care for him; you hold his head in place as you lightly kiss his neck, his cheek, his jaw, his chin, then finally up to his lips. His lips are motionless against yours and it breaks you. You are crying, kissing him, holding onto him for dear life because you don't know what else to do right now. Finally you feel his lips start to move against yours and his arms go tighter around your back. His lips are sweet, gentle and caressing; and you can taste the salty tears as you kiss him fervently. You bring your hands around to cup the sides of his face and you feel the wetness of his own tears on his cheeks.

This. This is all that matters. The way you feel when you're in Taron's arms. You stay like this for a few more blissful seconds; both of you crying quietly, kissing sweetly, and moaning softly.

Then suddenly, you feel his body tense and his hands come up to grasp your wrists. He pulls your hands away gently yet firmly, and looks at you with the most tormented look on his face, and your heart sinks.

"I'm sorry, I can't", he says sniffling and wiping at his face. Fresh silent tears run down your cheeks as you gape at him. "We can't...let this happen anymore. You were right. It's just too hard. I'm sorry." And without another word, he ambles past you to leave you standing alone in the dark. Yet again.


	21. The Homecoming

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You go home to L.A. for a few days.

The next couple of days pass by in a blur. You go to work, go through the motions of getting Richard ready for his scenes, then go home tired and emotionless at the end of each day. You don't talk to anyone, other than what is required for your job, and you keep your head down. You definitely don't talk to Taron, and you always make sure to go in the other direction whenever you seem him coming. You wouldn't even describe yourself as depressed, you are just... numb. Richard tries to engage in conversation with you, even brings up Taron once asking if the two of you had talked. You had completely dismissed him and asked him to please not mention Taron to you again, and he hasn't. Olivia seems smug as ever, apparently thrilled at the fact that you and Taron aren't speaking, although maybe that's just in your head. After the end of the two days, you find out that Richard is off for the next few days which means, so are you. Not wanting to spend the time off laying in bed all day again, you impulsively decide that this would be a good time to head home for a bit. So after clearing it with the studio; you grab a last minute fare to LAX, pack a large overnight bag, say goodbye to Julia and call for a taxi early Thursday morning.

Once settled on the airplane; you put on your face mask, turn out the overhead light, and sleep almost the entire twelve hour flight to L.A., only waking to use the restroom and nibble on some pretzels. You do however have several bloody marys during your few waking hours. You're thankful that you've never had a problem sleeping on a flight since you so obviously need the rest. However, it hasn't given you a chance to think about what your homecoming might bring, and who you might happen to encounter while there. 

Without going into much detail, you had explained to your mom on the phone when you told her you'd be coming home for a few days, that you wouldn't be going back to your apartment and asked if you could stay at her house; which of course she had agreed to happily. Even with the fair amount of sleep, you are still groggy as you meet your mom outside the busy airport in the bright and sunny early afternoon. You've missed the sun, although England does hold it's own significant charms. She squeals with delight at seeing you, and pulls you in for a bone-crushing hug.

"Hi baby!" She exclaims over your shoulder.

"Hi Mama", you respond blandly. She pulls back to look you in the eyes and her face falls.

"What's wrong sweetie?" She asks eyes full of concern.

"Nothing", you lie. "Just tired. Long flight", you say reassuring her. She takes your bag from your shoulder and guides you to the waiting car parked by the curb.

"Well let's get you home", she says in her motherly voice. "Nothing a little home-cooking and your own bed can't fix."

If only it were that easy, you think to yourself as you settle into what you now think of as the driver's side of the vehicle, and feel yourself relax slightly in the comfort her presence always brings. On the drive home, as you are staring out the window at the blue skies and palm trees swaying in the breeze, you start to wonder why you ever agreed to stay in England in the first place. You remember how scared you were at the prospect of the new job, new home, new everything; without knowing a soul. Why hadn't you just politely declined the job offer, come home and found a job here? Taron's face flashes across your vision and you immediately remember why, and then dismiss the thought just as quickly. How could you have let a flashy smile and killer wink affect such a life-changing decision? Oh well, doesn't matter now.

You thought you'd be caught up on sleep after your 30,000 foot snooze, but with the jet-lag and the overall stressed out state of your life lately, you are still exhausted by the time you reach your childhood home. So after a light lunch and a quick catching up with your mom, you head to your old bedroom, sleep another three hours; then wake to the smell of your favorite home-cooked meal, meatloaf and mashed potatoes, awaiting you. After the delicious meal with pleasant conversation with your parents, you head back to bed since it's nearing on midnight England time. Maybe you'll feel like a normal human being tomorrow, maybe not.

The next morning, after a shower and a lovely breakfast with your mom, you figure it might be a good idea to head to your apartment to grab a few extra clothes and necessities. After all, you really hadn't been planning to stay as long as you have when you first packed for your Europe trip, and you really could use some extra things. You know that Lisa will be out of the apartment at work for the day, so the chance of running into her should be zero. Which is good, since you are definitely not ready to see her yet. She's still been calling and texting you pretty much non-stop since the "incident", but you have been religiously ignoring her and hoping that she will just give up soon. You might have to consider blocking her number, but that just seems so final.

Upon arriving at the apartment, you hesitantly push your key into the lock and peek around the door making sure the place is empty. When you see that it is, you relax and step fully inside to find things pretty much the way you left them several months back. Glancing around as you go, you make your way to your room and go about pulling various items from drawers and the closet. The weather back in England has turned a bit chilly in the mornings and evenings, so you grab a few heavier layers consisting of sweaters and pull-overs. You have no intention of wearing Taron's jacket any longer, and plan to give it back to him as soon as you return, now that he has brushed you aside. The thought of Taron makes you pause mid-packing, and you have to sit down on your bed to gather yourself again. You press your hand to your chest trying to sooth the dull ache that's been residing there ever since you left England. You haven't allowed yourself to think about Taron since you left, which is probably one of the reasons you've been sleeping so much. It seems that lately, the only time you're happy is when you're sleeping. Sighing loudly and swallowing the impending tears back, you stand up and resume your hurried packing. You know Lisa is away, but just being here in the space you used to share together is giving you all sorts of negative energy. After cramming as much as you can into a large duffel bag, you decide that it's probably time you got out of here. You are just about to exit the bedroom when you hear the distinct sound of the front door close. Your whole body stills, your eyes go wide and your heart starts to race. Shit. Lisa? You absolutely cannot face her right now, but you can't hide in here either. Holding your head high and slinging the duffel over your shoulder, you leave the bedroom intent on telling her that you were just here to get some things, and now you'll be on your way. Stepping into the living room, your heart stops when you see that it's not Lisa that has arrived in an untimely manner. No, it's worse, much much worse. Because standing in the kitchen with the refrigerator door wide open, is Anthony.

You just stare, frozen, at his back. Even though you haven't seen him in over a year, you would know him anywhere. You can feel the electricity of nerves shoot through every limb in your body. How the hell are you going to face him after everything that's happened? Hoping desperately that if you are still and quiet enough, maybe he won't notice you standing there in the middle of the living room, you try not to breathe. He closes the refrigerator door, then turns around and nearly drops the bottle of juice he's holding when he sees you there immobile like a statue.

"Oh my God", he exclaims putting his hand to his chest. "You scared the shit out of me!" Then after he seems to have composed himself, he says your name quietly. "What are you doing here? Lisa said you were in England..." He looks exactly the same as you remember him. Dark hair that falls in loose waves around his face, big blue eyes, thin muscular stature. He looks good. Happy. And that irritates you to no end.

"I was...I am. I'm not really here. I was just grabbing some things, I'm leaving", and you force your legs to finally start moving to propel yourself toward the door. He sets the juice abruptly down on the counter to come over to you and your body stills again as you watch him warily.

"Wait, I haven't seen you in so long. Can we...talk a minute? How are you?" He asks his eyes imploring you.

"I'm fine but I don't think that's a good idea. Lisa doesn't know I'm here...", you say just wanting to get away from him as quickly as possible. Then as an afterthought you ask, "Why are you here?"

"Oh, I sort of, live here now", he answers sheepishly. Of course he does. Well now you definitely can't come back here to live. So not only did Lisa betray you, she moved her finance, YOUR EX-BOYFRIEND, into the home you shared with her for three years. This just gets better and better. Anthony interrupts your thought process and continues his feeble attempt at conversation. "Lisa told me that she told you...about us and that you...didn't take it well", he says hesitantly. At this you laugh nervously and find your voice.

"Well how would you expect me to take it Anthony? You left me a year ago without so much as an explanation, and now you're marrying my best friend?" You say with increasing annoyance and he lowers his head.

"I know, I was terrible back then. I have no excuse, just that I was scared and immature. But I've grown up a lot in the last year. I am so very sorry for what I put you through, in fact...well nevermind...", he trails off.

"What?" You ask genuinely curious. He pauses for a moment.

"Well, I came back here...looking for you. And Lisa told me you were in England and then she and I started talking, and I guess things just started happening between us. She kinda helped me sort through some of my feelings and then before I knew it, we were a couple. And then we got engaged. I don't know, it all happened so fast and I don't even know exactly how", he attempts to explain himself as you stare him down.

"Wait, you came back here for me? What does that even mean? And what feelings was she helping you sort through?" You ask him but you don't even think you care anymore. You just want closure on this chapter of your life. "You know what? Nevermind, I don't even want to know", you say as you turn to leave.

"Wait!" He calls out and puts a hand on your arm to stop you. You look down at his hand then back up into his expectant face, eyeing him cautiously.

"Please don't touch me", you say through gritted teeth and he pulls his hand away sharply as you continue. "What could you possibly say that would make me want to stay here and listen to you?" You are getting angrier by the moment and starting to feel the familiar sting of tears in the corner of your eyes. You will not give him the satisfaction of seeing you cry. You are so fucking done with crying.

"Just give me a minute to explain", he says taking a deep breath. You continue to stare at him. "I came back here because...I realized that...I still have feelings for you", he says in anticipation waiting for your response.

"WHAT?" You choke out and put your hand over your eyes. "Anthony, you are unbelievable. First you leave me for no reason, then you come back a year later "looking for me", only to start up a relationship with my best friend, then have the audacity to tell me you still have feelings for me?? I cannot deal with this right now; you're going to have to sort your shit out on your own", you say pulling away from him and stomping toward the door. You half expect him to stop you again, but he doesn't and you are thankful. You practically run to the car for fear that he might be following you, throw your bag inside and start the engine as the anxiety flares within you. As you frantically drive yourself home in your mom's mini van, you can't help but think about what he had said. Did he really still have feelings for you after all this time? What does that mean for his relationship with Lisa? What does that mean for you? Why do you even care? It's far too much to process right now so you just focus on getting home as fast and safely as possible. As you drive on, you realize you are turning onto Santa Monica Boulevard and about to pass the infamous Troubadour on your left. You try desperately not to let it affect you, but the tears come anyway as you pass the now all-too familiar iconic building that holds all sorts of wonderful albeit painful memories.

Trying to put the whole Anthony encounter behind you; the next few days are filled with delicious food, movies at home with your family, trips to local spots you and your mom always loved visiting and teary-eyed nights laying in your bed alone. You have a dream about Taron one night which is odd since you never dreamed about him when you were seeing him every day. It's a bit unclear, but you are alone in a dark room, sitting in the corner. You have your knees pulled up to your chest with your arms wrapped protectively around yourself as you cower there, as if the room is closing in on you. You are starting to feel suffocated by the space, when all of the sudden, Taron is there in front of you. He crouches down to your level as you look up into his soothing eyes. He reaches out and places his hands on your shoulders and begins to rub them up and down, much like he did when he was trying to warm you on the "Tiny Dancer" set. He smiles that irresistible smile that you've grown to know and love, and it instantly makes you feel better. You no longer feel cold or lonely or scared. Instead; you feel protected, loved and cherished. Then he leans into you and kisses you gently on the lips, and the tenderness of it floods your sensations, sending warmth to every part of your body. It's comforting and wonderful, and feels like home. Then just as quickly, he pulls away and vanishes, and you wake up crying. It takes you forever just to drift back into sleep, all the while praying that the dream will continue when you do. It doesn't.

All in all, it's been a good visit for the most part. Lisa nor Anthony has tried to contact you since that first morning in your apartment, so you figure maybe it really didn't mean anything and that she's finally given up. You haven't heard from Taron, no surprise there, but Richard has texted a couple of times asking how you're doing which is nice. He had asked one time if there was anything new you wanted to discuss with him which you found odd, and promptly told him no.

After a somewhat tearful goodbye at the airport curb with your parents, you have made your way through security and are now waiting at the gate for your plane back to England. You don't really know what lies in store for the next few months back at the studio, but you just hope that things can somehow go back to the way they were in the beginning, before you ever started working on Taron. Then you can come back home for good, and be able to put it all behind you.

A little while later, you are settled into your tiny airplane seat next to the window, and looking forward to another several hours of rest before you have to face everyone again back in the UK. When the airline attendant announces that electronic devices need to be placed in airplane mode, you have a sudden panic attack that you left your phone charging back at the gate. Digging around in your bag and growing increasingly more alarmed, you finally locate it at the bottom, as your hand brushes against something else that you're unfamiliar with. Pulling them both out at the same time, you check to make sure your phone is in airplane mode, drop it back into your bag, then turn the other object over in your hands. It's a letter size white envelope with your name scrawled on the front. The writing looks familiar and you know you've seen it before. There's something familiar about the envelope too, but you don't recognize it as something of yours, and you have no idea how it got in your bag. Turning it over again, you see that it's sealed and you suddenly become very nervous to open it. With shaking hands, you slide your finger under the seal to open it, and pull out what looks to be several sheets of folded notebook paper. You slowly unfold the papers to reveal more of the same handwriting, filling the pages. It suddenly dawns on you where you've seen that writing before, and sitting back in your seat you anxiously begin to read, your heart beating wildly in your chest...


	22. The Letter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A letter from Taron...

First let me say, I apologize for putting this in a letter. I just don't know how else to say some of these things to you in person. Lately it seems like we can't even have a conversation without blowing up at each other, so a letter it is.

Where to begin...I knew there was something special about you the first time I saw you. I know that sounds cliche but it's true. You were just this nervous little thing, thinking she wasn't good enough to be working on a movie set. If only you could see in yourself what I saw (see), maybe we wouldn't be having the issues we are now. Not that I'm blaming you at all. I'm sure I am mostly at fault for everything that's happened.

The fact that you had no idea who I was intrigued me from the beginning. It was refreshing to know that I was just "me" in your eyes. That you were just being you and not trying to impress me in any way. When you solved the problem of the tooth gap, that's when I really knew that I wanted you around me every day, so that's why I insisted to Lizzie that you be the one to do my make-up from then on. And it wasn't just that I wanted you around to do my make-up, I felt a driving need to have you near me. 

I think the first time I realized it was more than just wanting you around was when you shaved my face. You were so gentle and kind, and when you touched me, I felt like my skin was on fire. I hadn't really had feelings for anyone since my ex-girlfriend and it surprised me. I just brushed it off as an attractive woman touching me, but I now know that it was the beginning of something much more. I truly noticed your eyes for the first time that day. They really give you away, did you know that? I seem to always be able to tell what kind of mood you're in just by your eyes.

I know those first few weeks I talked way too much about nonsense information, but I was just trying to get to know you. I thought if I talked enough about myself, then you would open up and talk about yourself. I was dying to know what was going on in that shy lovely little head of yours.

That day you came in so sad about not going back to L.A. broke my heart. It was all I could not to drop everything, and fly you home just so you would be happy. Seeing you unhappy kills me, especially if I'm the one causing it. I know I wasn't causing it directly, but in a way, I blamed myself because it was me that was keeping you here. I wanted so badly just make your pain go away. So I did the next best thing I could think of by taking you to the Troubadour set. You have no idea what I went through to secure that golf cart, but I'll spare you the details. I was desperate just to make you happy, to see you smile, and you did and it was all worth it. That night meant so much to me, being there with you like that, just the two of us. I felt like I could tell you anything, like it was just you and me alone in the world in that little moment. I had never really expressed my feelings to anyone about being nervous to play Elton, but with you, it just felt natural to tell you. I knew I needed you there for "Your Song". It was suddenly clear to me that having you there would make it all just a bit better. I wanted to tell you then, how I was starting to feel about you. But I couldn't, not just yet. I wasn't sure how you'd react or if you even felt the same way. And then, you acted so strangely when I mentioned my ex, so then I was really confused. I wanted so badly to kiss you that night on your doorstep, but I knew it was too soon and inappropriate. You have no idea how difficult it was to walk away from you.

I missed you so much the next day, I was thinking of an excuse to message you all day. I know it was lame and probably completely transparent, but I finally got up the courage to text you about the call time for the next day. Plus, I really was worried about your reaction to me mentioning my ex. Then we talked a bit on the phone and you started to open up to me and that really meant a lot, more than you know. I decided then and there, that I would come pick you up the next morning whether you liked it or not. And every morning after that, if I could. I just felt like I needed more time with you, outside the confines of the make-up chair.

You don't know what it meant to me when you said you'd come to watch "Your Song". It's like I felt a thousand percent better and not really nervous at all anymore. Just knowing you'd be there created this calming effect on me that I still can't quite explain. I have to admit, I was starting to get a little worried when I didn't see you at first, but then there you were standing in front of me, and it was like this overwhelming sense of comfort washed over me. I didn't look right at you at first because I didn't want anyone to see you. I'll admit it now, I did look at you when I sang those lyrics. I don't know what came over me. I just wanted you to know that I knew you were there, and that in a way, I was singing to you. It just felt right. I'm sorry I lied to you about it later on. I don't know why I did that.

That moment we shared in the trailer after the scene was so intense for me. I was feeling so overwhelmed with how good the scene went and I knew it was because you had been there. I wanted to show you my appreciation but I didn't know how, so I just held you and it felt so amazing. Then Colin showed up and I fucked everything up. I know I had no right to be jealous, but I was, maddeningly jealous. I shouldn't have showed up to your place that night, but you had left your phone and I was genuinely worried that you were out with someone you barely knew without it. I know I was being a possessive prick, but I cared about you, and I didn't want to see you hurt. I guess I believed that maybe something was starting between us, and when you agreed to go out with him, I was hurt. It's no excuse for my behavior and I'm sorry.

After that, I just decided to play it cool. To act like I didn't care. I thought if I did that, eventually I wouldn't. Then you got sick and my overprotectiveness went into overdrive. Everything I had told myself about being indifferent around you completely went out the window. You have that effect on me I guess. I worried about you all day after you went home, and all I could think about was being done so I could check on you. I know you weren't thrilled to see me when I showed up unannounced at your place, but I couldn't relax until I saw for myself that you were ok. I was a little nervous for you to see my movies, but I still wanted to share them with you. It meant the world to me when you wanted me to stay. There was nowhere I else I wanted to be. Singing to you as you slept on my chest was wonderful. I wanted to tell you everything that night; what you meant to me, how I was feeling about you, that I had lied about "Your Song", but you were so out of it and I chickened out. I slept more soundly that night than I had in a long time.

I was so disappointed that night after the "Tiny Dancer" scene that you didn't come out with us. Admittedly, I had organized the whole thing just so I could have a chance to have more time with you. Of course, I didn't blame you. I knew you were still getting over being sick, but it seemed like there was more to it than that and I couldn't get it out of my head. So I did the dumbest thing imaginable and showed up to your place again. I felt like I had to see you and make sure we were ok. I hadn't intended on coming there that night to get sex scene advice from you, but then it just sort of happened and OH MY GOD. If I was unsure about my feelings for you before that night, I definitely knew for certain after that. I had thought leaving you the other night was hard, but this particular night was pure torture.

I decided after that you were the only one I trusted to go anywhere near my head with a razor, so I was so relieved when you agreed to do it. I have to admit, there's not much I remember about that night at my flat. I know I was a little ridiculous getting that drunk but it was the only way I could cope with having my head shaved at the moment. Like you said, I was being a baby. But I do remember dancing with you. I remember how it felt holding you so close and singing in your ear. I can't believe that song happened to come on because the lyrics seemed to describe so perfectly how I was feeling about you. I wanted to tell you so many times how I felt but I was just too scared. I wish now I had just told you sooner, maybe things would be different now. I feel like I did say something to you that night, but it's all a blur and I really can't remember. Maybe if you ever want to talk to me again someday, you can tell me.

I feel like things really shifted for us after that day in my trailer when I was in that ridiculous get-up. Something seemed to change in you, like you were finally on the same page as me. Or so I thought. I was so hung over and tired that day, and you were in such a silly mood that it made me feel better instantly. When I fell on you, I was totally expecting you to push me off, but you didn't. And the look I saw in your eyes, it was a different look than I'd seen before. Remember how I said I could tell what you were thinking just by your eyes? Well, this was something new, something exciting. The look you gave me that day made me think you wanted me too. I decided I was going for it, I was going to kiss you and to hell with the consequences. Then of course we got interrupted, and when I came back, you had gotten that terrible news. When you said you were going to go home, I panicked. I mean, I PANICKED. I didn't know what was going on but I knew I couldn't lose you, not yet. Not before I'd even had a chance to tell you how I felt. All I could do was hold you there. I needed to physically keep you with me and I know that was selfish because you were hurting. Seeing you like that, so broken, made me want to kill whoever had made you feel that way. I felt so helpless, I wanted to make it go away, but I didn't know how. I just wanted to kiss your pain away, but I knew that wouldn't be right. When you asked me to stay in the room, I didn't know how I was going to lay in that bed with you and not show you exactly how much I cared about you. And then you touched me, and I think you wanted me to touch you, to kiss you, and it took everything in me not to.

And then I royally fucked everything up. I don't know what I was thinking by telling Colin about your friend and your ex. I was stupid, I know that now. My only excuse is that I was truly trying to protect you. I wanted that guy away from you, I was being possessive again, and I thought telling him would do the trick. I guess it did, but then it completely backfired in my face. I can't tell you enough how sorry I am for that. It was nowhere near my right to do that, and I will never forgive myself for causing you additional pain. I knew as soon as I saw your face that I'd ruined everything. I honestly thought I was helping at the time and when you said I betrayed you, that really hurt. Deserved, but it still hurt. And then when you accused me of not caring about you because I hadn't made a move on you the night before, well then I just lost it. The only thing I could think about after that was proving to you just how much I cared. So I kissed you, and well I guess you know how that turned out. I thought that was it, that I had lost you forever. But then, you kissed me back and I was shocked. I really thought you hated me at that point, so I couldn't figure out what was happening. I still don't know to be honest. I got back to the trailer after I was done with Dex and you were gone. I was so confused, I almost thought I imagined the whole thing. I called and texted you for the next two days but you completely ignored me. Those were two of the worst days of my life, I barely ate or slept. All I could think about was you and how I'd messed everything up. I decided I'd better play it safe by not picking you up after that in case you did hate me, but I couldn't help talking to you at the studio to find out what was going on.

And then, you broke my heart by telling me you didn't want to work with me anymore. I know things were bad, but not so bad that you couldn't stand to see me at work. I couldn't even face you after that. I tried to have my make-up done in my trailer most days, but some days it just wasn't possible. So I did everything I could to act like my soul wasn't being crushed every time I was near you. I love Richard, I really do, but seeing you with him, the way you used to be with me, was torture. When he suggested that we all go to that pub, I admit I got a little excited about being near you again outside of work. It was good to see you smiling again, even though it was because you were completely sloshed. It was hard seeing you dance with Jamie, I wanted to be the one holding you. I asked that girl to dance just so I could keep a closer eye on you. Then he left you and I noticed you were starting to look unsteady and like you were about to fall down, so I went to you to make sure you didn't hurt yourself. You refused to sit down, so I thought I might as well do what I'd been wanting to do all night, all week honestly, which was to hold you as close as possible. I knew you'd let me kiss you on that dance floor if I wanted, and I did want to, badly, but it wasn't the right time. It never seems to be the right time with you, which is frustrating as hell. I knew I had to get you home, but I was worried you were too wasted to take care of yourself, so I took you back to my place. Looking back, I guess that was probably a mistake. I seem to make a lot of those around you.

You asked me to stay with you again. I don't know what it is about you that I can't seem to tell you no. So I stayed and we talked. I know it wasn't the right time to ask, but I just needed to know why you didn't want to work with me anymore. And then, you kissed me. I knew it was wrong to kiss you back, you were drunk and it was a horrible thing to do, but God help me I wanted you. SO DAMN MUCH. You probably don't remember much and I won't go into all the details, but it almost went too far. I finally stopped it and you pretty much passed out after that. I went to try and sleep on the couch which was bloody near impossible, but then I did sleep and had this dream about you that was just as intense as what had just happened in my bed. I went into the bathroom and that's where you found me. I assume you remember the rest. I have no excuse for my behavior, only that I seem to have less and less self control around you. But I promise you this, I was not the one to remove your pants. You had to have done that yourself. I had to get out of there after that. I couldn't face you. I was just hoping you wouldn't be too angry with me for deserting you after what had happened.

I knew we needed to talk before things got even weirder. I was so afraid I'd scared you away for good. We weren't working together anymore but at least you were still around. So I was relieved when you agreed to let me pick you up this morning. I just needed to know what, if anything, was going on between us. I guess I didn't approach the subject in the best way, but honestly that's how I felt. I still couldn't figure out why you had kissed me the other night in my trailer. Last night I could understand, with you being drunk and all, but that night you were completely sober. Sometimes I feel like you just don't like me very much so I really wanted to hear you explain it. At first, I really did think it meant something to you, but now, I just don't know. Then you asked me about last night and I knew I couldn't tell you what really happened. I was afraid you'd be ashamed or feel embarrassed. Again, I was stupidly trying to protect you and it blew up in my face. It hurt when you accused me of trying to take advantage of you. I mean, I know I kissed you back, but I stopped it before it got too far and I wasn't sure if you even remembered that. I think you thought it was a dream. I guess I should have just told you. But then you got so mad at me, and I still don't even know why exactly. Then I had to go film those emotionally draining scenes but I guess in a way, I was able to use some of what I was feeling to drive my reactions. When I saw you hugging Richard, everything just came flooding down on me all over again. I knew I had to tell you everything, once and for all. 

So I came back afterwards and wrote this letter. With all this being said, I think you were right from the beginning. I think it's better if we work apart from here on out then go our separate ways after the film is done. I will leave you alone from now on and try my best not to bother you in any way. You need to concentrate on your work, and I need to concentrate on this film. You have no idea how much it pains me to say this to you, but it's obvious that we can't seem to be around each other without causing each other pain. And I am not ok with that. I have always seen something truly wonderful in you, and I know that you have great things in store for your future. I hope you can find a way to overcome the pain you've endured lately, and I truly hope that not much of that pain has been because of me. I will always treasure our time that we spent together, and maybe in another time and place, things could have worked out differently. I wish you all the best, and feel I am a better person for knowing you. You have changed me in ways I never thought possible and I will always be grateful to you for that. Gyda fy holl gariad.

Your Rocketman,  
Taron

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I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. I know it was a little different but I really enjoyed giving Taron a "voice". Please leave a comment and let me know what you thought!

Special thanks to my sweet friend Adrianne who gave me the idea for the Welsh.


	23. A Little Worse for Wear

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You come back to England to find that things are different...

You finish the letter and look up to see that the airplane has lifted off the ground and is now descending high into the night sky. The dull ache in your chest has now become a stabbing pain and tears are streaming down your face. You are thankful that your seat-mate seems to be long gone in a deep slumber. Clutching the sheets of paper against your heart, you squeeze your eyes shut trying to block out the words you just read. After a few minutes of catching your breath amid the barrage of tears, you fold the letter and place it gently back into the envelope. Then you rummage around your bag for tissues, and dab at your face when you finally find them. You are desperately trying to process everything you just read; from the wonderful things Taron wrote about you, to the humiliating reality that you did in fact kiss him that night in his apartment, to the crushing blow that he apparently is now done with you for good. You have a thousand thoughts going through your mind and you don't know which ones to deal with first. How are you ever going to face him after this? It's all you can do not to march down to the cockpit and demand the pilot turn the plane around. After deciding that is probably not an option, you opt for alcohol instead; and become intent on consuming as many drinks as possible to distract yourself from the thought of what will happen once the plane lands at Heathrow. Perhaps crashing would just be a better option.

Twelve hours and several drinks later, having not crashed and sadistically re-read the letter five times; you arrive in England a little worse for wear. You had just gotten used to the time change; now you are jet-lagged again, having not slept a wink on the plane, as well as being emotionally drained and suffering from a hang-over as well. It's late afternoon here in the UK, and all you can focus on is getting back to the B&B to sleep away your anguish. As you pull away from the airport in the taxi, you receive a text. Heart pounding, you open it and are immediately disappointed, but relieved at the same time.

Richard: Hey darling! Are you back? Hope you had a lovely visit and safe flight. I know you are probably exhausted, but is there anyway you could meet me at the studio today? I need to go over a few changes Lizzie wants to make before tomorrow...

Uggh, really? You are so not ready to jump back into work right now. But seeing as how you just had three days off, you guess you really should make the effort.

You: Yes back. Visit was good. Flight was...ok. I am pretty tired but I guess I could meet for a bit if it doesn't take too long. Where should I meet you?

Richard: Great! Shouldn't take too long. How about my trailer in thirty minutes?

You: Ok, be there soon.

Richard: thumbs up

Well, so much for easing back into work. You just hope and pray that it truly doesn't take too long, and that you don't run into Taron while you're there. You are not due back at work until tomorrow and although you're going to have to face him sooner or later, you would really prefer it be later when you don't have twelve hours of sobbing drunken airplane face.

You arrive at the studio a little while later and it's like you never left. The grounds just hold a certain air about them that you will most likely hold in your memory forever. After paying the taxi driver, you walk the distance from the main gate to Richard's trailer that is just beyond Taron's. You're thankful that you only have the one carry-on and duffel bag. Upon reaching his trailer, you knock lightly but there's no response. Deciding that you've probably arrived early, you go ahead and enter the trailer, not wanting to stand outside in the open with your bags. You walk inside and glance around to find it empty. His trailer is sparse with only a sofa and small table next to it; nothing like Taron's trailer that holds all sorts of furnishings to accommodate his many countless hours on set. Dropping your bags at your feet and sinking into his couch, you rest your head back and close your eyes for a moment while you wait.

You are just drifting off, when you hear your name spoken softly near the door and your heart jumps into your throat. You would know that voice anywhere. You look up slowly to see Taron standing there, and you scramble to your feet, your flight instinct kicking in.

"Taron?" You gasp. "W-where's Richard?" You feel the panic and confusion rising within you and your face flushes hot.

"I don't know", he answers sounding just as confused. "I was going to ask you the same thing. He told me to meet him here", he says glancing around the room as if expecting to find Richard there.

"He told me the same...thing", you say your voice trailing off as you try to work out what's going on.

Taron looks around once more, then back at you, then laughs softly shaking his head. "That little...", but he doesn't finish. You are still perplexed until it suddenly dawns on you that perhaps this was a set up. You both just stare at each other from across the room, waiting on the other to speak. Finally you decide that it's up to you to break the silence.

"So...now what?" You ask him and wonder how quickly you can escape.

"I don't know", he answers dryly. "How was your trip?" He asks.

Ok, small talk then.

"Fine", is all you say. You really don't care to elaborate. What would be the point?

"Flight good?" He asks looking somewhere over your shoulder. He can't even look you in the eyes. Might as well go ahead and rip the bandaid right off. What have you got to lose?

"Yeah I guess. Gave me a chance to read your letter", you say looking at him pointedly.

"My... what?" He asks suddenly looking terrified. You look at him strangely, then fish the letter out of your bag and hold it up to him. Taron squints his eyes to see what you're holding from across the room, and then they widen in shock when he realizes what it is. "How...how did you get that?" He asks, his voice trembling.

Still looking at him like he's got lobsters crawling out of his ears, you answer slowly. "I found it in my bag. I assumed... you put it there?"

"No, no I didn't. I didn't even realize it was gone. I-I had told Rich about it...told him I wasn't sure I was going to give it to you, then I left it in my trailer....," Understanding passes over his face again, and you're glad that at least he seems to know what's going on. "That little prick!" He exclaims loudly and looks around again like Richard will suddenly appear out of thin air so he can smack him. Then you finally get it too. Richard was the one that had slipped the letter into your bag unbeknownst to you, and apparently Taron. He had orchestrated this whole thing. Then it occurs to you that if Taron hadn't wanted you to see it, maybe it wasn't all true?

"So... you didn't want me to read it then?" You don't know if this is a good thing or bad.

"Well I hadn't decided yet! I just wanted to get my thoughts out, you know? Like they say, write a letter to someone if you're having a hard time communicating your feelings. I didn't know if I should give it to you or not. I was trying to figure that out! Ugghhh", he exclaims slapping his hand over his face. You're not quite sure what to say to him at this point. Whether he wanted you to see it or not, you have, and now it has to be dealt with.

"I guess Rich decided for you", you say feeling defeated. He uncovers his face and looks pathetically over at you and you take pity on him. "It's ok Taron. You made it very clear how you feel. I understand and I'm not going to make things difficult for you..." you say but he cuts you off.

"But I don't know if that's actually how I feel or not", he says gazing at you from across the room.

"Which part?"

"All of it, some of it, I don't know...God this is so fucked up!"

"It's ok, really it is. You were right. We just need to figure out how to work together for the next few months without hurting each other", you say trying to let him off easy. "Then I can go home and deal with all my shit there."

"I agree but what do you mean? What shit?" He asks and the look of concern on his face tears at your heart. You pause for a moment, trying to decide how much you want to tell him, although it really makes no difference now.

"Something happened back home...I ran into Anthony, my ex. He told me he still has feelings for me." Why the hell are you telling him this?

"Oh. That must have been awkward. And how do you feel?" He asks, his eyebrows pulling together. God, you've missed his face so much.

"I don't really know. It's all just really confusing", you say rubbing at your face. "I don't think I can trust my feelings anymore", you say as he takes a step toward you and your pulse quickens. "I just want things to go back to the way they were", you say softly.

"The way they were when?" He says just as quietly.

"I don't know, before I came here I guess", you say and he takes another step toward you.

"Before you met me you mean?" He asks with a pained expression.

"I don't know Taron...," you say with anguish. Another step.

"What? What don't you know?" You just stare at him, unable to look away, but he continues. "What do YOU want?" He says your name quietly but demanding. "I think you know what you want, just tell me", he pleads. You just shake your head as he takes another step. "What?" He whispers, now inches away from you. "I'm right here, just tell me what you want and I'll do it", he says with desperation in his voice. "Please just tell me", he says so softly it makes your heart disintegrate. His eyes are two pools of green depths boring into your soul. His body is so achingly close, you could reach out and touch him. You know you could get lost in him forever... You gather your courage to speak and hold up his letter you're still holding with trembling fingers.

"But what about this? What about what you said in this letter?" You say, your eyes filling with tears at the thought of his last written words to you. He grabs the letter from your hand and throws it to the ground; then his hands come up to grasp your wrists together between your bodies. The sensation of his touch is electric.

"Fuck the letter. TELL ME WHAT YOU WANT", he says, his eyes penetrating every cell of your being. You search his eyes and can't hold in the words any longer.

"God help me", you say your voice shaking. "I want you Taron", you whisper and immediately feel a weight lifted at your admission. You see him relax as well as a slow smile spreads across his face. It's not a smile of defeat or triumph, but one of pure joy and elation. One you've not seen in much too long. Then you see his eyes glisten as he releases your wrists and pulls you into the warmest embrace you think you've ever experienced. You wrap your arms around him and fully dissolve into his body. You feel the tears prickle at your eyes, but they are finally happy tears and you let them fall freely. You feel him sigh into you as he presses you even closer; and it's like you're back inside your dream where you feel the most tender, wonderful comfort, here in his arms. Taron then pulls back and cups your face in his hands. He wipes the tears from your cheeks with his thumbs, looks down at your lips; then his eyes flutter closed as he leans into you. You welcome his kiss eagerly and with no shame. This is where you are meant to be, you are sure of it. Everything else just fades away as his lips press against yours. You give yourself fully over to him and allow him to explore your mouth with his own. You moan into him and he pulls you closer while you grasp at his head to angle his face to yours. The kiss deepens into something frenzied and frantic, and it's like the two of you can't get enough of each other. All the weeks of frustration, anger, passion, hurt and affection have led up to this moment. 

Your hands go to his shoulders as you simultaneously, and without thought, back him up against the couch. Your hands slide down his chest to press firmly at his sides, as you guide him to a sitting position in front of you. He looks up at you longingly, his chest rising and falling rapidly; and you stare at him, crazy and wild-eyed, full of passion for this man before you. You steady your hands on his shoulders, then slowly but deliberately sit astride him, never breaking eye contact. You place your hands against his stubbly jawline as he closes his eyes at your touch, then wrap your arms back around his neck. You are vaguely aware that you have twelve hours of airplane and liquor on you, but you don't care and apparently neither does he. His hands go to your back, then slip down to your hips and pull you snug against him which elicits a small groan from the back of your throat. You tilt your head back with the thrill of it, and he in turn latches onto your neck nipping and kissing your sensitive skin. You close your eyes as you grasp his neck firmly, twisting your fingers into his hair and tugging slightly. As his lips continue to drag across your throat, you feel his fingers pull at the cardigan on your shoulders and shift it down to reveal the straps of your tank underneath. Slipping a finger under one of the straps, Taron kisses lightly at the skin that's exposed there, which sends a shock wave through your body. Not being able to go long without his lips on yours, you guide his head back to your face and kiss him desperately as he continues to remove your cardigan completely, discarding it on the floor. His hands then go to your waist, his fingers digging into the soft flesh under your tank. His fingers dip just under the waistband of your leggings to the silky underwear below, and he rocks you against him again, a little more forcefully this time. You have to bite your lip from crying out. Your hands go to his chest and you are grateful he's wearing a button-down. You hastily undo the first three buttons, then thrust your hands inside to caress the soft hair and firm muscles there. Leaving his face, you scoot down a little to assault his neck with your lips, bending your head to plant kisses all over where your fingers just were.

"Oh my God...", he moans and it nearly ends you. The sound in the empty space suddenly reminds you that you are in Richard's trailer, and you feel the need to mention this. Pulling up, you look into his heated, lust-filled eyes.

"Taron, we're in Richard's trailer", you say breathlessly.

"Who cares?" He groans and pulls you back to him. The movement of your bodies shifting together again makes you have to pause and close your eyes for a moment. He continues his exploration around your décolletage with his mouth, and you wrap your hands around his head to gently pull his face away.

"Well I care, and he might care", you say giggling, and look into his eyes full of desire, for you. He sighs quite loudly and drops his head onto the back of the couch. Looking back up at you with a half smile, he traces your lips with his thumb.

"You are going to kill me woman", he says, flashing you the most devilish grin that you nearly shove him down on the couch and show him just what you'd like to do to him. Instead, you re-button his shirt and begin to climb off him.

"Ditto", you say lightly, grabbing your sweater from the floor and pulling it back on. Taron runs a hand through his hair and sighs again, and you look down at him expectantly.

"What? You expect me to get up now?" He says looking pained. You laugh softly at him and grab his hand to pull him up.

"Come on, you can do it", you say teasing. You are so happy right now, you could burst.

"Ok, I'll get up, but only if we can go back to my trailer", he says and you arch an eyebrow at him. "To...talk", he says with a wink and allows himself to be pulled to his feet.

"Sure Taron", you say jokingly. "Whatever you say."

"Now that's what I like to hear", he says, smiling at you wider than he has in a long time and your heart nearly explodes. He picks up your duffle as you sling your carry-on over your shoulder, and the two of you make your way out of the trailer, interlocking your hands along the way. You both hurriedly walk along to Taron's trailer, bags in tow, as he playfully grabs at your waist to lightly tickle your ribs. You squeal as he practically pushes you up the stairs and through the unlocked door. You are laughing giddily until your eyes scan the room, and shockingly find that you are not alone in the space. For there, sitting at Taron's chair that sits against the small countertop, is Olivia. You immediately release Taron's hand, your bag falls to the floor with a thud, and an overwhelming sense of dread washes over you. You feel like ice cold water has been dumped all over your body as she stands up and addresses Taron.

"Well there you are! I've been waiting for you forever!" She exclaims then her eyes slide over to you. "What's she doing here?" She asks looking directly at you. Funny, you were thinking the exact same thing. You look over at Taron expecting to find some sort of explanation there, but you see that he has turned pale with a look of complete shock on his face, staring at her wide-eyed.

"Filming ended hours ago Olivia, what are YOU doing here?" He says in a very calm albeit menacing voice.

"Oh, well, I just thought maybe we could pick up where we left off last night...", she says in a hushed voice as if she's trying to keep a secret when you can obviously hear every word she's saying. She then glances back in your direction, eyeing you maliciously. You look back over at Taron in question, but he is still gaping at her, dumbfounded.

"What is she talking about Taron?" You almost whisper, but not because you care what Olivia thinks, but because that's really all you can muster at the moment. When he doesn't answer, you direct your question at her. "What are you talking about Olivia?" You ask louder now. All thoughts of being discreet have gone completely out the window.

"Well actually, it's none of YOUR business. Anyway, I really don't like to kiss and tell", she says in that sickeningly sweet voice of hers that's become like nails on a chalk-board. At this, Taron finally turns to look at you and when he does, his eyes are wide with horror and you think you see a subtle shake of his head. His silence speaks volumes and suddenly, a feeling of intense nausea overtakes you. You slap your hand over your mouth and squeeze your eyes shut to try and block everything out.

"I think I'm going to be sick", you exclaim as you push past Taron to fly out the door and down the steps. You smash right into Richard at the bottom of the stairs, and he catches you with his hands on your shoulders.

"Whoa there love, what's wrong?" He asks holding you at arms length and searching your eyes. You feel the bile rising in your throat.

"Richard, please let me go!" You shout and he does immediately, holding his hands up like a bank robber. You dash around him as fast as your legs will carry you to the make-up trailer a few yards beyond.

As you are running away, you hear him ask loudly, "Taron, what the fuck?"

What the fuck indeed.

You are praying that the make-up trailer is unlocked as you bolt up the stairs. Finding that it is, you wrench open the door and just make it to the bathroom in time to heave yourself over the toilet, where your several liters of bloody marys make a revolting reappearance. Tears are streaming down your face as you retch into the bowl the last remaining remnants of the burning liquid. You flush, then lean back against the wall frantically wiping at your mouth and face, trying to catch your breath. A sudden knock on the door makes you jump.

"Go away!" You yell though the door. You don't know who it is, but if it's Taron, there is no way in hell you are leaving this bathroom. You hear Richard's muffled Scottish drawl answer back.

"Are you ok? I'm alone, can I come in?" Lord, you must look a mess. Standing up on wobbly legs, you brace yourself against the countertop to look in the mirror and confirm that suspicion. Your eyes are bloodshot, and your face is red, clammy and tear-stained.

"Hold on...", you mumble. You take a paper towel, wet it then wipe it over your face. Drying off with a fresh towel, you shrug your shoulders and open the door. Seeing him standing there with a look of sympathy on his face makes you lose it all over again. He simply holds out his arms and you willingly go to him. Wrapped in your friend's embrace, you sob uncontrollably as he pats your back and makes shushing noises. After a few moments, you hear him speak softly.

"Let me take you home ok?" You pull back to look into his cool blue eyes and nod your head slowly, wiping at your nose. You then look over his shoulder with what must be an apprehensive look because he speaks up. "Don't worry, he's not out there." You nod your head again, and allow him to escort you out of the trailer to the safety of his waiting vehicle in the parking lot. As you are walking away, you can't help but look back in the direction of Taron's trailer; but are only met with the view of it dark, door closed, and Taron nowhere in sight.


	24. The Storm Before the Calm

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Taron comes over unannounced again during a violent storm...

After you've given Richard the address for the B&B, and found out that he has collected your bags and they are sitting in his trunk; you curl up into the plush leather seat and rest your head against the cool glass of the window. You are hoping that the short ride to your home away from home will be in silence since the very last thing you want to do is talk about what just happened; but of course Richard brings it up just a few minutes outside the studio gate.

"Want to talk about it?" He asks hesitantly, eyes on the road. Knowing he probably won't see the subtle shake of your head, you answer quietly.

"No." He's quiet again and you think that's the last of it until he speaks once more.

"I found this in my trailer", he says, and you look over to see what he's referring to. You physically shudder when you realize he's holding up Taron's letter.

"I don't want that Richard. I know exactly what it says and frankly, I'd be fine if I never saw it again", you say shifting back into your curled up position. He doesn't respond, only pushes the letter into his jacket pocket, then returns his hand to the wheel. After a few more minutes, he clears his throat and you just know he's going to talk again about things you don't want to hear.

"Look, I know whatever happened back there probably seems bad; but I can promise you that it's not what you think. If you would just talk to him-" But you don't let him finish.

"No Richard!" You say a little louder than planned, the sound bouncing around the compact vehicle. "I am NOT talking to him. Nothing ever good comes from me talking to him. All I ever do is end up getting hurt, so I am done talking to him!" He glances over at you with pity in his eyes and it makes you cringe. How did you ever let things get this bad? An irrational thought comes to you suddenly. "I can't be here anymore", you say staring off into the distance outside the windshield. "I can't do this anymore. I'm telling Lizzie tomorrow that I have to quit. I'll just tell her that there's an emergency back home..." You are not really talking to anyone in particular. It's just a stream of consciousness coming somewhere from within your broken mess of a soul.

"No, please don't say that. Running away is not the answer", he says regarding you with a distressed look.

"Why should I stay Ricard? Tell me." Now you are actually looking for an answer from him. You can't think of any one good reason to stay, and you really need one right now to convince you otherwise.

"I just think it would be a mistake," he answers simply but it's not good enough. Coming back here was the real mistake. He continues, "Please just sleep on it ok?" He asks, but you don't answer. You rest your weary head back against the window and the rest of the drive is thankfully spent in silence.

Upon arriving at the B&B, which in a strange way is a sight for sore eyes even though this isn't your home, Richard retrieves your bags then attempts to walk you to the door.

"It's ok Rich, I've got it", you insist. Taking the bags from him, you march off in the direction of the porch.

"Hey", he calls out after you and you turn back around to face him. "Don't give up just yet", he says with a half grin and twinkle in his eye. You just stare back at him for a moment, then thank him for the lift, before turning back toward the door.

After trudging up the stairs on feet that feel like they are stuck in mud, you drop your bags on the floor and go into the bathroom. Scrubbing your face and teeth clean, you feel somewhat better but only minimally. You return to your room, close the drapes and still fully dressed, curl up into the fetal position in the center of the bed. You close your eyes and immediately drift off to sleep, not even bothering to cry anymore at this point.

A booming clap of thunder accompanied by a streak of lightening through the crack in the drapes wakes you some hours later. It was light when you went to sleep and now it's dark so you really have no idea what time it is. Squinting over at the bedside clock, you see that it's 1:56 am. The roaring thunder continues at a quickening pace, and you hear heavy raindrops pelt the small window of the bedroom. Dragging yourself off the bed, you shuffle over to the window to peer out. The trees are blowing forcefully and the rain appears to be going sideways. You've not seen a thunderstorm like this in awhile and you wonder if it's woken the entire household. Continuing to scrutinize the violent storm, your eyes scan the streets and houses in the small neighborhood that surround the B&B. You can just barely make out the driveway from this angle, but there outlined amongst the wind and torrential rain, is the unmistakeable silhouette of a car.

"What the..." You say out-loud. Scrambling out of the room to the hall window where you can get a better look, you confirm to yourself that it is indeed the car that you've become very familiar with sitting there in your driveway. Taron's car. At 2 am. In the biggest thunderstorm you've seen since you arrived here. After he just broke your heart only hours ago. A barrage of emotions hit you all at once. Excitement, anger, fear...hope? You run your fingers through your hair trying to decide what to do. Should you call him and tell him to get the hell out? Do you ignore him? Do you go down to see what exactly he's doing here? You go back to your room to see if perhaps he's texted you like he did that one time. Nope, nothing. Finally deciding that you will never be able to sleep knowing he's down there, you quietly creep out to the hall and down the stairs to confront him.

You hadn't quite thought through what you were going to do about the fact that it's a monsoon outside, but you don't have to worry about it because as soon as you open the door, you practically trip over Taron who is sitting there on the porch. The overhang doesn't quite reach all the way over, so he is thoroughly soaked. He's just sitting there stoically in the pouring rain, like it's a perfectly normal thing to do. Stopping yourself short so that you don't completely lose your footing over him, you step back trying to stay dry, pulling your sweater tight around you.

"Taron!" You practically have to yell to be heard over the wailing storm. "What are you doing out here?" He slowly turns his head around to look up at you, water streaming off his hair and face. His eyes look so strange, like he's transfixed somehow. He doesn't answer, only turns his head back around to face the gale again. You know you can't leave him out here, he'll catch his death. Braving the pelting rain, you step closer to him, keeping your head down so that it doesn't sting your face. You wrap your hands around his shoulders and pull to no avail. He is unresponsive and solid. "Taron, we need to get you inside, you're soaked", you say pulling upward again. You are starting to get drenched yourself and feeling a bit panicked at trying to get him up and inside. "TARON!" You yell loudly and this finally seems to get his attention. He turns his head again to look you in the eyes and the look there is complete devastation. It almost makes you burst into tears right here in the deluge. "Come on, let's go inside", you say again tugging at his shoulders once more. He finally allows himself to be coaxed into a standing position and weakly turns to you. His head is down as you guide him through the door and close it behind you. Putting your hands back on his shoulders, you lead him through the small foyer and up the stairs, wincing as you hear the carpeted steps squish underneath his sodden feet. You'll apologize to Julia later.

You continue to lead him down the hall and into the bathroom in silence. You wouldn't even begin to know what to say to him anyway. Once inside the bathroom, Taron stands shivering in the center of the small space and your heart goes out to him. You look him up and down for a moment trying to figure out how and where to start. You know you need to get him out of his wet clothes. All thoughts of your earlier row aside, the desire to look after him takes over. However many times you've been hurt by his actions, you know deep down you would do anything for him.

"We need to get you out of those clothes Taron", you say surveying him. He just looks up at you through stringy wet hair that is plastered to his face. You can see that he is not going to make any effort toward helping himself, so you move closer to him, your protective instinct kicking in. You slowly un-button his shirt, and the memory of doing this in a very different situation only hours ago floods your memory. Pushing that thought as far back into your mind as you can, you shove the shirt down his arms and toss it to the floor. "Raise your arms", you instruct. He does what he's told and slowly lifts his arms over his head, water dribbling down them as he does. You grab the hem of his soaked under shirt and peel it over his chest, arms and head; then add it to the pile. Your eyes quickly scan his bare chest, then land on the waistband of his jeans. Swallowing hard, you unbutton them with steady fingers, and lower the zipper down all the way. Your eyes flick back up to his as he continues to watch you through wet eyelashes, his eyes only halfway open. When you see that he still isn't going to help, you concentrate back on the task at hand, grasping his sopping wet jeans by the waistband and start to ease them down. They are not the easiest thing to remove, especially over his thick thighs and calves, but you manage it after a little tugging and pulling. Crouched on the floor at his feet, you remove his shoes and socks, then instruct him to step out of the jeans and he does so. Tossing those aside as well, you then stand and retrieve a large bath towel from the cabinet. Starting at his head, you scrub at his hair as if he were a small child emerging from the bath. Once that is dry enough, you then pat his face gently before moving down to his chest and arms, rubbing lightly. You then move around to his back and drape the towel over his broad shoulders, kneading there as well. You notice little raised goosebumps popping up on his skin, and you wonder if it's because he's cold or if it's something else. You step back in front of him to dry his stomach, then glance down at his boxer briefs which unfortunately are also pretty much soaked through. Knowing full well you will not be removing his underwear, you encircle your arms around his waist with the towel, wrap it around his body, and tuck the end in at his hip. You think you hear his breath hitch but you try and ignore it. "You can dry your legs and take off your underwear. I'll be right back", you say, leaving him standing there and shutting the door behind you. You rest back against the closed door for just a second, closing your eyes and releasing the breath you didn't realize you were holding nearly the entire time you were undressing and drying him. After composing yourself, you go to your room to fetch the fluffy bathrobe that Julia keeps in each room for guests. Knocking lightly on the bathroom door to announce your return, you step inside to see Taron just closing the towel around himself again, his balled up boxers on top of the pile of wet clothing. Good boy. You walk back over to him holding the robe open, and turn your head as he removes the towel. He then turns his back to you so that you can wrap the robe around his shoulders. He ties it in front, then turns back around to face you again. "Stay there for just a minute", you say as you gather the towel and wet clothes; and hang them loosely over the tub to dry.

Then, taking his hand, you lead him out of the bathroom and into your room. Taron still hasn't said a word and you really don't know what to make of it. All you do know is that you can't send him back out in this storm in the apparent emotional state he's in, let alone naked with no dry clothes. Not knowing what else to do, you walk to the bed and turn down one side of the covers, then look back over at him. He looks from you, to the bed, and back to you again, his eyebrows pulling together. You lean over and take his hand to pull him toward the bed. He looks back at you once more, then holding his robe closed at the legs, climbs in under the covers. You cover him as he looks up at you, and you shake your head at the weird turn this night has taken. Brushing his damp hair away from his face with your fingers, he closes his eyes, and it looks like he's finally starting to relax.

"I'll be right back", you whisper, then grab your pj's from a dresser and step into your closet. You quickly change, having not taken off your clothes from earlier, then step back out to find that Taron has apparently dosed off. You can't help but smile at him. He looks so peaceful, so innocent. Why do things have to be the way they are? Ignoring that thought, you decide to just focus on this moment, as you climb slowly into the bed next to him, trying not to disturb him. Settling down under the covers, you don't want to close your eyes just yet. You can't help but look over at him. Laying here next to him like this, you can almost pretend like the last few weeks haven't happened. Like you're back where you started before everything became such a mess. It's been so long since you've just been able to gaze at his stunning face. His cheekbones look a little more taught, his jawline sharper; and you wonder if he's been eating enough. The bed isn't very big so you are only about a foot from him. You prop your head on one elbow, and reach your other hand out to touch his face. You don't want to wake him, but you just can't seem to keep your hands off him when he's this close. You trace his jawline, his nose, his chin as lightly as you can; then your hand wanders lower to his throat and collar bones. You outline them with your fingertips, then dip one finger into the hollow space between them. Glancing back up at his face to make sure he's still asleep; your hand goes lower to push his robe apart slightly, settling against the space in the center of his chest. The warmth of his body spreads throughout your hand; the gentle rise and fall of his chest lowering and raising your palm.

Suddenly, his hand comes up to gently cover yours, and you look up at his face to see his eyelashes flutter open. Your breathing stills as you realize you've been caught, and you wonder just how long he's been awake. He looks sleepily into your eyes and moves your hand a few inches to his left to cover his heart. You sigh and look deeply into his despondent eyes. How is it that such a simple gesture from him can tear your heart to shreds?

You weren't really planning on having a chat at this particular moment, but since he's awake, you figure you might as well.

"Why did you come here tonight Taron?" You whisper softly. He swallows and winces as if doing so causes him pain. Then after a brief pause, he speaks for the first time since arriving here.

"I needed to be near you. I knew you wouldn't want to speak to me, but I just needed to be here. I didn't expect you to come outside and find me sitting on your porch", he says in a hoarse whisper.

"Oh", you say quietly. Your hand is still pressed firmly between his palm and his chest, and it should feel awkward, but it doesn't. Taron clears his throat.

"I...I need to tell you about Olivia", he says with a look of fear in his eyes, and the wave of nausea hits you again.

"No Taron", you say pulling your hand free and rolling onto your back. "I don't want to hear it. I can't...", you insist, staring at the ceiling.

"Please, I need you to know what happened", he says and scoots closer to you. Now he is the one to prop up on one arm as he gazes down at your face. You know this is the last thing you want to hear, but if he feels the need to unburden himself, so be it. You say nothing, indicating that it's ok for him to go on. Sighing softly, he continues. "The last few days without you on set have been just completely horrible. I hate the way we left things before, and I couldn't wait for you to come back so I could tell you I didn't mean it." You want to ask him what he means by that, but you let him continue. "That I did want to be with you, more than anything. I guess I was moping around a lot and Olivia noticed. Well, last night she suggested we go to a pub to get a drink and I thought, why the hell not? Yet another one of my terrible decisions, but I was hurting and needed a distraction. We had a couple of drinks, chatted a bit, no big deal really. But when we got back to my car, she kissed me, and admittedly, I didn't stop it right away. I was so confused and depressed about you, I just let it happen. It's no excuse, but it did happen. But then I came to my senses and told her I couldn't, that I wasn't interested in her that way. She seemed to take it alright so I thought it was over. I never in a million years thought she would tell you...", he says squeezing his eyes shut as if trying to block out the memory. You still don't say anything; what is there to say? You don't have any claim on him. You don't really have the right to an opinion on the matter. But it's comforting, in a way, to know that he at least didn't want to kiss her. You don't know why you believe him, but you do. He opens his eyes again and searches your face. "Please say something", he begs, his eyes glistening.

"What do you want me to say Taron?" You ask simply. He thinks about this for a moment.

"Why did you leave without saying goodbye?" He whispers and you are surprised at his question.

"I didn't feel like a goodbye was necessary I guess. You left me that night in your trailer thinking you could care less about me. I was humiliated", you say, putting your hands over your eyes to shut his face out and keep the tears at bay.

"I'm so sorry", he murmurs, then lays his head back flat on the pillow. You uncover your eyes and turn your head to look over at him and see a single tear roll slowly down his cheek. The storm outside rages on, as the conflict within your heart rages just as fiercely. You think about it for a moment, and decide that all you've ever wanted is for things to go back to the way they were before it got so complicated.

"Taron?" You say and he turns his head to look back at you in question. "Could we maybe just, start over?" You're not sure why you're saying this. Is it even possible to start over when so much has happened? His eyes widen in surprise.

"Yes! Oh my God, yes. You would do that? I mean, we can just forget all the bad stuff and start again?" The hope in his voice gives you hope, and you can't help the smile that spreads across your face at seeing him brighten.

"We can try I guess", is your reply. You know in your heart that you aren't ready to give up on this man quite yet. Then he smiles too, an ear-to-ear grin that makes your insides do flips. He leans back up on his arm, hovering over you, taking in your face with his eyes. You welcome his appraisal, his closeness making you light-headed. He places his palm against your face, and his eyes flutter down to your lips then back to your eyes as if asking an unspoken question. Knowing exactly what the question is, you nod your head slightly, and place your hand against his jaw just in case there's any doubt. Lowering his eyelids, he leans down slowly to brush his lips lightly against yours. Both of your lips are stretched into grins as you softly kiss each other, savoring the other in a way you never have. It's not desperate, not rushed, it's not full of need; it's simply you and Taron exploring your growing feelings for each other in a way that's sweet and delicate. You bring your other hand up to cradle his face and delight in the familiar sensation of his stubble beneath your fingertips. He leaves your lips to plant soft kisses along your jaw and cheek, and you close your eyes thrilling in the warmth that spreads through your body. You wrap your hands around his back, burying your fingers in the plushness of his robe. You pull him closer, wanting to feel the weight of him on you. His arms slip under your back as his head nuzzles into the crook of your neck; and you just lay there in a horizontal embrace, soaking him in. He then braces his palms against your back and rolls you halfway over him as he rolls onto his back. Taking your face in his hands and threading his fingers through your hair, he kisses you more deeply, gently pushing his tongue just past your lips. You love the taste of him so much. You can't even describe it, it's just...Taron.

Getting dangerously close to getting lost in the euphoria of him, you remember that you are supposed to be starting over, and that Taron is dressed only in a robe. You pull back slightly, pressing your hands against his bare chest through the opening of the soft material. "Taron? Is it alright if we... Can we... take it slow?" You ask staring down into his intensely gorgeous eyes. He smiles warmly at you.

"Of course love, anything you want", he says, and touches his finger to the tip of your nose which causes you to smile widely at him. He smiles back in return, then closes his eyes as you lean down again to kiss his velvety lips. You then snuggle down into him, resting your head against his chest and enjoying the sensation of his rapid steady heartbeat. Your hand tangles softly into his downy chest hair, and you place a light kiss over his heart. Taron envelopes you in his arms, and you both feel content for the first time in what seems like forever. Just before you drift off, a thought pops into your mind. Unsure if he's still awake, you decide to ask anyway.

"Taron?" You whisper.

"Hmmmm?" He responds lazily.

"What were those words at the end of your letter?" You ask, looking up in the direction of his face.

"Oh...that? It was Welsh...Gyda fy holl gariad", he says in that perfectly wonderful accent that sends shivers down your spine.

"Yes", you giggle. "But what does it mean?" He doesn't answer right away and you think maybe he's fallen asleep.

"With all my love", he mutters softly. You smile broadly into the comfort of his chest, thankful that he can't see your face, and drift pleasantly off into sleep as the storm fades away outside.


	25. Taking It Slow

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You spend the morning in bed with Taron.

You wake the next morning to the feeling of warm fingertips on your neck. You open your eyes to see grey light filtering through the drapes and glance at your bedside clock to see that it's still quite early. You feel pretty drowsy still, but the sensation of his skin touching yours is making you increasingly more alert. You lie still to enjoy the moment and wait to see what he will do next. You feel your hair being brushed away from your neck, then the bed shifts as Taron moves closer. The next thing you feel is his warm breath on the back of your neck right before his tender lips replace his fingers, and it sends chills throughout your body. His lips move slowly across the area where your neck meets the top of your spine, then over to one shoulder, pushing your top aside slightly to kiss lightly at the exposed skin there. No longer able to keep still, you arch your back and stretch your legs beneath the covers. Realizing you're awake, he leans close to your ear and whispers.

"Good morning." The sound is exhilarating, and you realize how wonderful it is to wake up next to Taron without being drunk, sick or without pants, at least for now. You turn your head toward him and raise your arm to encircle his neck. Only worrying minimally about morning breath, you really haven't been asleep that long after all, you pull his head close and whisper the greeting back before pulling him to your lips. He seems very encouraged by this and kisses you back enthusiastically. You rotate your body all the way around so that you are facing him, and wrap your other arm around him fully; grasping at his now dry hair as you kiss him back just as eagerly. You are now the one to push your tongue past his lips to mingle with his, and enjoy the soft moan that comes from him in response. His hands go behind you and slide under your pj top to rest against your braless back. His palms splayed flush against your bare skin, massaging gently and pulling you tighter against him, gets a fire going within you that starts to burn a little out of control. Pushing him over onto his back, you lay half-way on top of him, delighting in the fact that his robe is barely covering his chest at this point. You have a sudden overwhelming desire to be skin-to-skin with him, and you wonder if he wants that too. You are still kissing him fervently, one hand at his jaw, the other traveling down to the exposed skin of his chest. His hands are still pressed firmly to your back, as your hand continues it's downward descent to his abdomen, and stops to rest at the knot at his waist. Thrilling in the way his hands, body and mouth are making you feel, you slowly start to undo the knot of his robe with clumsy fingers. He has it double-knotted and it's difficult one-handed. You have it almost completely undone, when his hand comes away from under your shirt, and grasps you firmly around the wrist. Surprised by his abrupt movement, you pull back to look into his eyes, a little out of breath and feeling a lot out of control.

"I thought...we were taking it slow?" He says a bit breathless himself. You feel yourself flush and let your hand go limp, burying your head into his shoulder and feeling a little more than embarrassed.

"I'm sorry", you say, your voice coming out muffled against his body. He removes his other hand from under your shirt, and places both palms gently on your face lifting you up to look at him.

"Hey, do not be sorry", he says looking fixedly at you. "Believe me, I want this just as much as you do. Well, probably more", he says with a devilish grin. "But you were right. We should take it slow. I definitely do not want to do anything to fuck this up again." You smile at his words, then roll over onto your back, still feeling a little foolish.

"I know. And I completely agree. I just don't know what it is about you. I can't seem to control myself around you", you say looking over at him and feeling flushed again after hearing the words come out of your mouth. "And apparently what I say to you", you say looking at the ceiling and smacking your hand over your forehead. He chuckles, and removing your hand from your face, brings it down to hold it between your bodies.

"Ditto. You have no idea...", he says gazing at you and doing a once over down your body. You smile sheepishly at him. "I don't know about you, but I'll just have to do something to make myself less irresistible", Taron jokes, putting his finger to his temple as if he's thinking.

"Not possible", you say as serious as you can manage.

"I think it's possible", he says, acting like he's really putting some thought into this. "I know!" He says, pointing his finger toward the ceiling. "I'll just wear the Elton shaggy wig and big clunky glasses around you from now on!" He says grinning over at you.

"Taron, there is literally nothing you could do that would detract from the fact that you are a beautiful man, inside and out", you say as genuinely as you can. The smile that spreads across his face is proof of your words. "And that wig, it's actually kind of sexy", you say half grinning. Taron laughs.

"To you maybe."

"Definitely to me. You were wearing it the first time I...the first time I knew...I had feelings for you." You feel dumb telling him this, although you know you shouldn't. He said all those lovely things about you in his letter, why shouldn't you tell him how you feel about him? His interest seems to peak as he lifts up on one arm to look down at you.

"Really?" Then he looks upward as if trying to recall when he wore it. "When?"

"During "Your Song". When you sang those words to me, I thought my heart was going to burst right there on that soundstage; although I didn't realize why at the time. I was just so afraid of getting caught! But I knew something was happening at that moment, I just wasn't ready to admit it to myself yet." He smiles at you, and you feel like your heart is going to explode all over again.

"Thank you", he says simply.

"For what?" You ask.

"For telling me that. I hope you'll tell me more when you feel comfortable", he says, eyes shining. It's scary sometimes how well he seems to know you. You don't say anything back, just simply place your hand against his cheek, which he leans into and closes his eyes. You know you could stay here all day with him, but unfortunately you can't, and neither can he.

"We should probably get up", you say looking at him dejected.

"No", he pouts. "Let's just stay here forever. I quit!" He jokes, and snuggles into your shoulder, throwing his arm around your waist. You run your hand though his hair, noticing how messy it is.

"Yeah right", you say, attempting to finger comb his reddish locks that are getting quite long. He props his head up, resting his chin on your chest and looks up at you.

"Fine, but only if you start letting me drive you again, AND go back to working on me", he says raising his eyebrows. This statement brings you back to reality and regrettably, some not so pleasant thoughts that need to be dealt with.

"Taron?" You ask hesitantly.

"Hmmm?" Is his response as he absent-mindedly fiddles with the neckline of your top.

"What happens when we do get back to the studio?" You are now worried about this, and what your return to work will hold. You wonder if Taron is having the same reservations because he climbs off you and out of the bed entirely. You sit up and pull your knees to your chest, watching him.

Straightening his robe that has become quite disheveled, almost to point of revealing, he finally answers. "Well, the first order of business is to get Olivia out of there", he says turning to you. You're not sure you like the sound of that.

"What do you mean? "Out of there." Like fired?" There is definitely no love lost between you and Olivia, but you know you don't want to be the reason she loses her job.

"Maybe not fired, but definitely not working on me anymore", he says running a hand through his now even messier hair.

"What are you going to tell Lizzie?" You ask, concerned about how all this is going to play out.

"Don't worry about it, love", he says trying to reassure you. "I'll take care of it", he continues, then his eyebrows pull together and you know he's thinking about something. "Maybe she can, I don't know, be re-distributed." You consider this for a moment.

"Ok, that'll work I guess." Then something else occurs to you. "Can you just make sure she doesn't go back with Richard? I don't want her with you, but he doesn't deserve to put up with that either", you say, sincerely concerned for your friend. Taron's expression softens and the corner of his mouth pulls up.

"You two have really become close huh?" He asks smiling, and the memory of him watching you hug Richard flashes across your mind.

"I don't know about close, but yes, he's my friend", you say and then feel the need to explain further. "He's been there for me lately when you were being an arse", you say grinning slightly so that he'll know you're playing.

"Excuse me?" He says in mock indignation, putting his hand to his chest. "I was being an arse?" He says taking a step toward the foot of the bed.

"Well yeah, sometimes", you continue to tease.

"Oh really", he says seductively, then leaps onto the bed and crawls toward you like a panther. You try not to notice his robe gaping open below his waist, keeping your eyes trained on his alluring face. You cover your mouth and squeal, not wanting to disturb the other guests, and pull yourself up further onto the bed until your back is against the headboard. Taron lunges for your ankles and grasping them firmly, yanks you flat against the mattress. He crawls possessively over you, covering your body with his own. He is hovering over you, supporting his weight on his arms on either side of your shoulders. Your hands are balled into fists at your sides, wanting to reach up and grab onto him, but resisting as you stare up into his heated gaze. "So I was being a what now?" He asks in a low commanding voice.

"An arse?" You squeak out.

"Ok, that's it. Now you have to pay", he says and you swallow hard.

"How do I have to pay exactly?" You ask excited and terrified at the same time. You've never seen this side of Taron before and it's slightly exhilarating.

"I'm going to have to turn on the irresistibleness full blast", he says eyeing your lips.

"Oh is that all? I can handle it, I'm used to that", you say sounding confident.

"Oh baby, you ain't seen nothing yet", he growls, making your knees go weak although you're already lying flat. Taron then lowers his arms to ease down on top of you and the full weight of his body pressing against yours makes you gasp out loud. He wraps one hand around the top of your head to tilt it to one side, exposing your neck to his hungry mouth. While his lips fasten onto your throat, his other hand moves slowly down your side until it reaches the bottom of your pajama top. He grasps your waist just under the top and squeezes as his mouth wanders all over your neck, ear and jaw. You close your eyes in ecstasy, and realize you're right back where you started moments ago. His hand traces circles over your hip, then moves upward slowly along your ribs, working its way around to your front. A few more inches and you'll no longer be "taking things slow". Alarm bells go off and you unclench your fists to push against his shoulders. As if he's received the same warning at the same time, he releases you instantly and rolls over onto his back, wrapping the robe firmly around his nether-regions. "Fuck", he breathes out.

"Exactly", you murmur looking over at him. "This is going to be harder than we thought", you say, a bit breathless yourself.

"Tell me about it", he says clearing his throat, and you notice that his fists are still clenched tightly around the lower half of the robe. You let out a little snort of laughter and slap your hand over your mouth as his head whips over to you. "Hey, it's not funny!" He exclaims.

"I'm sorry Taron, but it kind of is", you say giggling and he raises an eyebrow at you. "I think we just need to get out of this bed", you say rising, and straighten your pj's to cover as much of your body as possible.

"Umm, yeah. I might need to stay here a little longer", he says with a slight grimace and you try to keep your eyes focused above his chest level.

"Ok, I'll go...check on your clothes!" You say grabbing his jacket from the nearby chair and throwing it over your shoulders.

"Hey, my jacket! You still have it?" He asks sounding genuinely surprised.

"Of course I do silly, you think I would have just chucked it?" You say, shoving your arms through and zipping it up halfway.

"I dunno, after being such an arse, you never know", he says grinning over at you.

You just shake your head at him and say, "I'll be right back", before shutting the door behind you. Thankfully, it looks like no one has roused from their rooms yet, so you tiptoe down the hall into the bathroom and retrieve Taron's clothes and the towel you used to dry him. Once down the stairs, you make your way into the tiny laundry room, throw the damp items into the dryer and start the machine. Hopefully they won't take too long to dry since you really need Taron dressed as soon as possible. Realizing you probably need to get dressed yourself, you creep your way back up to the room and push the door open to find Taron sitting up in the bed looking quite perplexed. Immediately, you know that something's not right.

"What's wrong?" You ask, knowing him well enough to know that you don't like that look.

"Nothing", he mumbles. "I didn't mean to look...it just buzzed and I guess it's habit." You look over at him completely confused now. Then he points toward the bedside table where your phone is sitting. "You got a text."

"Oh, is that all? Jeez Taron, you had me thinking someone died. Wait, did someone die? Who texted?" You ask, going over to the table to get your phone. Picking it up, you see that the single solitary text flashing across the screen is from Anthony. "Oh", you say sliding it open. What the hell does he want?

Anthony: Hey, I was checking on you to make sure you got back alright and that you're ok after what we talked about. Let me know...miss you. (heart emoji)

You stare at it dumbfounded for a few seconds trying to process what you just read. "What the...umm...I'll deal with that later...", you say more to yourself than to Taron, closing the text app.

It suddenly occurs to you why Taron is acting so strange and you look over at him to find him staring warily at you. You close the phone and set it back down not knowing exactly what to say. You have no idea why Anthony's texting you and it gives you an uneasy feeling in the pit of your stomach. You also clearly remember telling Taron the night before that Anthony had claimed to still have feelings for you, which you guess is why he's acting this way now. He finally speaks up.

"Does he...do you...talk to him often?" He asks with hesitation in his voice.

"I don't ever talk to him. Besides the other day, I haven't talked to him in over a year. I have no idea what he wants from me...", you say trailing off because you really have no clue why he's suddenly reaching out to you after all this time.

"Oh", he simply replies and lowers his head fiddling with the strap on his robe. Then looking back over at you he continues. "But don't you think you should text him back? I mean, the two of you have a...history", and you see him cringe slightly as he says this which tugs at your heart.

"Taron, he's in my past. Besides, he's marrying my best friend, remember?" The thought of this still stings and the memory of your last conversation with Lisa now makes you the one to cringe.

"But if he wasn't...I mean, he's home to you, right?" Taron looks so sad saying this and the tightening pain in your chest is suddenly back. You instinctively put your hand against it and rub gently trying to ease the burning sensation there, and walk over to him. Standing in front of him next to the bed, you place both your hands on either side of his chiseled jaw, and tilt his head up so that you can look into his sorrow-filled eyes.

"Taron, I left him there to come back to you. Remember that", you say as sincerely as you can. You mean every word of it. He grins slightly.

"Yeah, because you signed a contract", he says sniggering but you don't think it's funny.

"You know it was more than that", you whisper, still staring down into his arresting eyes. He finally smiles a genuine smile, one that touches his eyes, and it melts you. Taron opens his mouth as if to say something, but then apparently thinks better of it and swallows instead. He then wraps his arms around your waist as you pull his head toward your chest. Pulling you to him tightly, he sighs into you as you stroke his hair. After a few moments have passed, you break the silence. "I really need to take a shower", you say against the top of his head.

"Ok, let's go", he mumbles into your chest.

"Ha ha", you say lightly as you pull out of his embrace. He looks up at you and pouts. You bend down to plant a quick kiss on his out-turned lips, then saunter away from him. "I won't be long, then you can have one if you like. I'll grab your clothes from the dryer when I'm done", you say, gathering your own clothes from your dresser.

"Sounds good, I'll be here", he calls out as you exit the room. Once you've stripped down and are relaxing under the cascading warm water, your mind starts to drift to that text. What exactly DOES Anthony want from you? Does he want your forgiveness? Your blessing? Does Lisa know he texted you or what he said to you back home? You have a feeling that she doesn't. Should you call her and tell her? You really don't know what it all means but now it's got you so confused. You know you can't talk to Taron about it, he's obviously uncomfortable with it. Should you talk to Richard? Maybe you're just wanting closure. Maybe you should just text him back, tell him you're not interested, and that he needs to leave you the fuck alone.

Why are you even wasting time thinking about Anthony anyway after what has just transpired between you and Taron in the last few hours? Is it possible that things are finally going to go right for the two of you? Hopefully with Olivia out of the way, you and Taron can finally explore what's happening between you. Of course, there's still the issue that once the movie is finished, you will be going home and likely never see Taron again. The pain that flares in your chest from that thought catches you off guard and you have to steady yourself against the shower wall. That is really starting to get quite annoying. Well, there's no point worrying about it now and luckily there's still plenty of time before that happens. Besides, you don't even know what this is yet, it could just be a simple fling that will pass...right? Feeling somewhat satisfied with the thought that everything might finally be getting back to normal, you step out of the shower to dry off, dress and get ready for the day.

A little while later, you have retrieved Taron's dry clothes and he is finally wearing them and out of that damn robe, after having showered himself. The two of you are now sitting at the kitchen table having a somewhat awkward breakfast with Julia, while the guests eat in the adjacent dining room. It hasn't come up what exactly Taron is doing here so early in the morning.

"So Taron, what do you do?" Julia asks as she begins to clear the table.

"I'm an actor", he says winking at you and you nearly choke on your bite of muffin.

"Oh isn't that lovely, one of those community theaters?" She responds distractedly, then sets to work washing dishes. You have to stifle your giggle at the look on Taron's face when he realizes she has no idea who he is. Something tells you that won't always be the case.

"Yes m'am, something like that", he replies with a crooked smile.

After you've both helped Julia with the cleaning of the dishes and kitchen; you are happily, albeit a bit nervously, sitting in Taron's car waiting to drive to the studio for work.

"I guess I left my phone in here", Taron says reaching for it and turning it on. "Holy shit...", he exclaims as he scrolls through the numerous texts he's received throughout the night.

"And your keys apparently?" You say holding them up where you found them lying on the console.

"Yeah, I guess my mind wasn't quite right last night...", He says glancing up from his phone.

"Clearly", you say, hoping you didn't put him through too much grief. "A lot of texts?" You ask, trying not to sound too nosey.

"Yeah", he says still scrolling through them. "Mostly from Rich, a few from...ugggh", he says and his eyes dart over to you.

"Let me guess", you say rolling your eyes. You're trying not to feel too possessive, but you really just wish Olivia would leave him alone.

"I'll, um, deal with those later, let me just check my email real quick."

"Sure, no problem", you respond smiling over at him. You're really not in any hurry to get to the studio and face Olivia. You just hope that Lizzie is ok with you switching back to Taron. You honestly don't know how you'll handle it if you have to watch Olivia with him for even one more second. You pull out your own phone to check email as well. Ignoring the fact that you haven't responded to Anthony yet, you click on your email button and see that you have one from Lizzie that contains this week's schedule. "Oh, I have an email from Lizzie", you say reading over it.

"Yeah me too...", Taron mutters. It takes you both a few seconds to scan the entire email, and once your eyes land on the last line, you read it twice then look over at Taron who is already looking at you. His eyes look so soft and his mouth turns down a little at one corner. "We're over halfway done filming...", he says quietly.

"Yeah, I saw. Didn't realize we were so far along already, time flies...", you say forcing a smile like this is a good thing. It is a good thing after all, the studio has managed to stay on schedule and it looks like they might even be a little ahead which is great. You continue to stare at each other, the unspoken words between you hanging heavy in the air. After a few more seconds have passed, Taron finally looks away and starts the car, then backs out of the driveway. You put your phone in your bag and stare straight ahead, doing your best to ignore the pain in your chest that is now searing through you like a knife stabbing at your heart.


	26. The Promise

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You make a very important promise to Taron.

After another relatively silent car ride to the studio, you and Taron walk solemnly to the make-up trailer to get started for the day. Luckily, no one is there yet when you arrive and you are able to gather your supplies and tools in peace. Taron had suggested that you get him ready in his trailer today to avoid any uncomfortable situations, and you had agreed whole-heartedly. After getting pretty much everything you will need, he walks you to his trailer, then leaves you to go and find Lizzie. You begin to set your things up, noticing with a frown that Olivia's things are still strewn about on the small table that is there for his hair and make-up. After a little while, Taron returns with a somewhat brighter expression than when he left.

"Well? How'd it go?" You ask nervously.

"Pretty well actually. I told her that the chemistry just wasn't right between Olivia and me and that I was requesting to have you back. She mentioned that we'll be starting to use prosthetics soon so things are going to be changing up anyway. It was very professional actually", he says with a smile.

"That's good. I think. And where is she...re-distributing her to?" You ask thinking of Richard.

"I didn't really ask but I think she's going back with the extras. Richard has a few more scenes left but he's almost done for the most part, so I don't think she'll be going back with him", he explains.

"Oh, well that's a relief. But sad that Rich won't be around as much", you say, genuinely sorry that you won't be seeing much of him anymore.

"Yeah, he'll still be around some. Don't worry", he says, winking at you and you can't help but smile.

"Well, I guess we better get you ready", you say, smiling at hearing yourself say those words to him again. "I hope I remember how!" You joke.

"I have every confidence that you will", he says placing his finger against the tip of your nose. You pretend to bite at his hand and he pulls it away quickly, his eyes sparkling. He plants a quick kiss on your cheek before sitting down and letting you do your thing.

An hour later when Taron is all done, you stretch and yawn as he gets up from the chair.

"You must be exhausted", he says eyeing you carefully. "I'm sorry I woke you last night", he says, stroking your arm with his thumb, the sensation giving you chills.

"Well technically the storm woke me, but maybe there was a part of me that knew you were out there", you say smiling up at him.

"Hmm, maybe. Maybe you've got some Taron telepathy going on", he says winking at you again.

"Not sure that would be a good thing", you tease.

"Yeah, you're probably right", he says, grabbing his glasses and heading for the door. "Hey, why don't you just stay here and try and take a nap?" He offers.

"That does sound nice, but what if you need touch-ups?" You definitely don't want to give Olivia the opportunity to swoop in.

"I think it's a pretty short scene this morning so I probably won't. But if I do, I'll make sure Lizzie does it. I promise", he says, taking a step toward you.

"Ok, I'll stay here then", you agree reluctantly. "Please promise you'll text me if you need me."

"Baby, I always need you", he whispers and leans in close.

"Good", you whisper back. You then see something ignite in his eyes as they dart down to your lips, and conflict passes over his face. He growls slightly, then turns on his heel to leave the room. You smile to yourself, then go into his tiny bedroom to flop down on the bed. It's not the most comfortable mattress you've ever laid on, but right now it feels like heaven. You roll over onto your side and have just closed your eyes when your phone buzzes in your back pocket. "Arrgggh", you say to the empty room. Pulling it out of your pocket, your heart stops when you see that it's Lisa calling you. Shit. You're not sure what causes you to do it, but you slide it open to receive the call. "Hi Lisa", you say gravely.

"Oh my God! You answered! Thank you for finally answering!" You are getting impatient with her already.

"What do you want Lisa?" You say gruffly.

"Oh, well. I was hoping we could, you know, talk. About things?" This just annoys you.

"About what things Lisa? About how you're marrying my ex-boyfriend and how he...nevermind." You don't want to say too much, not yet. There is a pause on the other end.

"Well I was hoping that maybe since you answered the phone, you might be ready to talk. I was so disappointed when I found out you were home last week and I didn't get to see you...", she says sadly.

"Wait, how did you know I was home?" Your heart is beating faster now. Had Anthony told her he'd seen you?

"I ran into your mom at the store and she told me," she says and your shoulders physically drop from relief. "I would have liked to have talked to you", she says again.

"Well we're talking now, what is it you need to say to me?" You ask abruptly.

"Oh. Well I was wondering when you're going to be home. We've set a date...you know...for the wedding," she says, and you flinch but say nothing. "I was hoping now that you've had some time to think about it...I know you could never really forgive me and I don't expect you to, but I really need you there. I've always hoped you would be there to support me, and I was thinking...that maybe...you could be my maid-of-honor?" She stops talking and you blink rapidly about a hundred times.

"Your...what?" You can't actually believe what you've just heard her say, although you know she's said it. She says nothing so you continue. "Lisa, you're marrying my ex who shattered my whole existence and now you want me to...stand up for you? Are you insane?" You figure she really must be to expect you to do this for her. It's not even a matter of pride, you just know you could never stand there and watch her marry him. Not because you still have feelings for him, but just because of how much they've both hurt you.

"I know", she wails and you can tell she's crying. "I just hoped maybe you would. I need you there. You're my best friend!" You can barely understand that last part over all the blubbering.

"Lisa, you must think I'm a lot stronger than I am, because that is something I will never be able to do. I'm sorry, but I think you need to talk to your fiancee before you make any more big decisions", you say, and start to feel your own tears well up within you. Not wanting her to hear you cry, you quickly add, "I'm at work, I have to go. Sorry." You end the call and toss the phone onto the bed next to you. Staring at it for a few seconds, you fight back the impending tears, not wanting to waste anymore of them on her. An idea comes to you and before you have time to think it through, you pick the phone back up and open your texts to Anthony's that is still looming there.

You: So you obviously haven't told Lisa about our conversation. I'm not sure what you want from me, but I would suggest you figure out what's going on with your relationship before you get married, and please leave me out of it. I would appreciate it if you wouldn't contact me again.

You hit send on the text, and then turn your phone off and set it on the bedside table. You lie down again and close your eyes, shutting out all thoughts of both of them, and try to focus on just getting some rest.

Some time later, you are woken by the sound of the front door closing. You assume it must be Taron coming back from his scene, so you sit up, rubbing the sleep out of your eyes and stretch your arms above your head. Turning to face the doorway of the bedroom, you are shocked and confused to see Olivia standing just beyond it in the small living area. Scrambling out of the bed, you march into the room to find out what she's doing here. She is standing by the table rooting around your things, and you clear your throat to announce your presence. She whips around to face you.

"Oh, it's you. What are you doing in here? Shouldn't you be on set with Taron?" She asks in a voice that is not even trying to hide her disdain for you anymore.

"I'm waiting for him to get back. What are YOU doing here Olivia?" You ask, wondering if she makes a habit of coming by his trailer often.

"I'M here to get my things, if you don't mind", she snorts, turning back around to pick through the items on the table. You just stand there watching her, hands on your hips. There's no way you're leaving her here to possibly steal your stuff and God knows what else. As if sensing you watching her, she turns back around to face you, her hand clutched around a pair of hair scissors. "Can I help you?" She asks, eyeing you with contempt.

"Nope, just making sure you only take what's yours", you say as she rolls her eyes at you.

"Oh please! As if I would want anything that's yours", she says with a fake laugh. The irony of that statement is not lost on you, but you just continue to stare at her. She then eyes the scissors in her hand, and turns them so that the blades are facing out. Clenching them by the handle tightly in her fist, she takes a step toward you. You watch her closely, then your eyes dart to the small, albeit sharp blades facing you. "You know", she says is a low calm voice, "I wouldn't get too comfortable if I were you," she says in a menacing way. "You just never know what might happen", she adds with a sickening smile and you take a tiny step back. You swallow hard, but stand your ground, not taking your eyes off her.

"Just take what's yours and get out of here Olivia. Taron will be back any minute", you say, crossing your arms over your chest. You have no idea if this is true, but you are hoping that it will convince her to leave. You really have no idea what she's capable of and you'd rather not find out. She eyes you cautiously for another moment or so, then drops the scissors into her bag and gathers a few more things without saying a word. When she's done collecting everything, she pushes past you to the door. You are about to let out a sigh of relief when she turns to face you once again.

"Just remember, after all of this is over", she says motioning in the air around her, "you'll go back to wherever it is you came from, and Taron will forget all about you." Then with one final smirk, Olivia closes the door behind her as she leaves. You finally let out the breath you've been holding with a loud whooshing sound, and try to ease the pulsating pain in your chest. You walk slowly to the couch and collapse onto it, burying your face in your hands. Could this day get any weirder? You're not sure how long you've been sitting there, when you feel a hand on your shoulder. Worrying that Olivia has returned to finish you off, you jump up, heart racing again, to find Taron standing there looking at you with a perplexed look.

"Taron!" You say exhaling his name, and throw your arms around his neck. He seems surprised for a second and doesn't respond right away. But an instant later, his arms are around you, holding onto you tight.

"Hey, what's wrong?" He coos softly near your ear.

"I'm just glad you're back", you say sighing into him. You're not sure you've ever felt so safe as you do when you're in his arms, which just makes everything more difficult. You pull back from him slowly and look up into his concerned eyes.

"You know I love hearing that, but you were fine when I left. Something obviously happened, please tell me what it is", he says, taking your hands in his and sitting with you on the couch. After gathering your wits and calming yourself down, you proceed to tell him about your conversation with Lisa, to which he is sympathetic and understanding. You do however neglect to tell him that you texted Anthony back. No need since you don't expect to hear from him again. "I'm so sorry you're having to go through this love," he says sincerely. "Is there anything I can do to help?

"You're already doing it", you say smiling weakly up at him. He returns the smile and lifts your hands to his lips, kissing the back of each one. You wish you could just leave it at that, but you know you need to tell him about Olivia. "Also, Olivia came by", you say reluctantly. His smile disappears instantly as he searches your eyes.

"Oh? And what did she want?" He asks through barely gritted teeth. You have no idea why you were ever worried about the two of them, he obviously cannot stand her.

"She...um...came to get her things..." You trail off. You're not sure you should tell him everything she said to you.

"AND?" He says, apparently knowing that's not all of it. You decide there's no point in keeping it from him, then tell him about your encounter with her, including everything she said and the bit about the scissors. By the time you're finished, his eyes are wide and he's clenched his jaw so many times you think it might pop out of the socket. You watch him carefully as he releases your hands and stands up slowly. "I'll take care of it", he says sternly, then starts to stalk away. You stand up quickly and grab his arm to stop him.

"Wait, Taron. Take care of what exactly?" You ask anxiously. You don't want to cause any more strain between you and Olivia than there already is.

"What do you think? I'm going to make sure she's let go and never bothers you again", he says, making to move away from you. You grab onto his other arm and turn him to face you.

"Taron, no. That's not why I told you. I don't think it's necessary to have her fired", you plead with him. He says your name low and under his breath.

"She. Threatened. You. How is that not cause for being fired?" He asks, looking at you like you're insane.

"She didn't exactly threaten me", you say honestly. "Not in so many words."

"She might as well have. Did you feel threatened?" He asks intently.

"Well, yeah, a little", you admit.

"Exactly", he says, pulling away from your grasp and taking another step toward the door. You move around to block his path and put your hands forcefully against his chest.

"Taron no. Please. I don't want to cause anymore trouble. Now that she and I will be working apart, it will probably all just blow over. Please just trust me", you say, easing up on his chest and staring up into his heated eyes. He searches your face, then you see his eyes soften a little and his features relax.

"Fine. I don't like it but I'll let it go for now. But one more incident and she's gone. Alright?" He asks, bringing his hands up to interlace with yours against his chest.

"Deal", you agree, and smile at him as he pulls your hands up to encircle his neck. His hands then wrap around your waist so that he can pull you close. He finally smiles back before placing a light kiss on the tip of your nose. You pull his head down to gently kiss his forehead and whisper, "Thank you."

"For what?" He asks, looking confused.

"For wanting to protect me," you say, which is rewarded with a beaming smile from Taron.

"Always", he whispers, and the pang in your chest is just a slight one this time. You stand there for a few minutes, wrapped in Taron's arms, feeling the steady rhythm of his breathing and the heat radiating from his body. You would think this might be awkward, but it isn't. Being here like this just feels right, as cliche as it sounds in your head, but it does. Taron finally breaks the silence and you're glad to hear that his voice is back to normal. "Hey, I want to show you something after I get out of make-up." Your heart flutters.

"Oh God, not another set we have to sneak onto?" You ask, honestly worried about what he has up his sleeve this time. 

"No," he says laughing. "But it is probably somewhere we shouldn't be."

"You are a bad boy aren't you?" You say, pushing at his chest lightly. He just waggles his eyebrows at you then growls playfully as he dives at your neck and lightly bites you. You squeal with delight and push him away, laughing hard. It feels so good to be laughing with him instead of crying. "Ok", you say between fits of laughter. "Come on then", you instruct, ushering him over to the table to get him fixed up.

A little while later, you and Taron are walking the deserted streets to somewhere beyond all the trailers. Luckily, wherever you're going doesn't require a golf cart. Glancing around to make sure no none is within viewing distance, Taron clasps your hand in his, and swings them together between you. "How'd the scene go today?" You ask genuinely curious.

"Really good actually. It was this really cool scene where I'm playing the piano on this turn-table type thing while the camera pans around me. It's a pretty quick scene but I have like five costume changes, so it took longer because I kept having to go back and change. Which leads me to what I wanted to show you", he says motioning toward a building about twenty feet away that you are walking toward. It's different than the trailers but not quite a permanent building either. It's a kind of large tent/warehouse with a domed roof and tightly stretched sides. It has a permanent looking door however, and once you've reached it, Taron whips out a set of keys from his pocket to unlock it. You don't even bother asking how he managed to procure the keys. He holds the door open for you and you step inside to the dark interior beyond. Your eyes are trying to adjust to the darkness, when Taron flips a switch on the wall and the vast space in front of you is illuminated. Squinting in the bright light, you take in everything you are now seeing coming into focus before you.

"Wow," you exclaim, smiling over at Taron who is looking at you expectantly. For there standing in a U-shape formation with the back of the U furthest away, is a perfectly placed row of mannequins wearing various fabulously ornate costumes. You've seen Taron in a few of them, but seeing them all lined up like this is truly a thing to behold. Your eyes scan them one by one as you walk slowly toward them, examining the intricate details from the embellished headdresses down to the dazzling shoes. Your eye catches one costume in particular that is farthest on the outside of the U on your right, and you walk over to it. Starting at the top of the elaborate headpiece, your eyes slowly study the costume, inch by inch, all the way down to the impressive platform shoes. Reaching a hand out to run your fingers over the delicate rhinestones sewed onto the bright orange fabric, you say softly, "This one is my favorite."

"How come?" He asks just as softly. You turn slowly around to face him, and are not the least bit startled to find him standing so close.

"It was the one you were wearing when we first met", you whisper, looking longingly up into his mesmerizing green eyes.

"I remember," he whispers back, and pulls you into a crushing hug. You stand there immobile for a few seconds, then suddenly the pain in your chest is so overwhelming you have to pull away. You turn your back to him and slap your hands over your face trying to just focus on the laughter and keep the tears at bay, but it's no use. Olivia's words are so fresh in your memory and they sting like a slap in the face. "Just remember, after all of this is over, you'll go back to wherever it is you came from, and Taron will forget all about you..." Taron places his hands on your shoulders and tries to turn you back around to face him.

"What is it?" He asks, a tremor in his voice.

You answer back, your face still buried in your hands. "We can't do this Taron," you say in a muffled voice.

"Do what?" He asks, coming around to face you, prying your hands from your face. You look up at him in horror and pull your hands from his.

"This!" You say motioning with your hand between the two of you. "Us!" His face goes from concern to alarm in a matter of seconds.

"What are you talking about?" Taron asks, voice shaking.

"You read the email Taron. How can we even think about starting something between us when we'll be going our separate ways in a matter of weeks?" You ask him in desperation. 

"Oh my God, please do not do this again...", he says, taking off his baseball cap and rubbing his eyes with the heels of his hands.

"Do what?" You ask, honestly not understanding what he's referring to. All you know is that you are terrified of how strong your feelings are for the man before you, and the fact that you'll probably never see him again after this movie is finished.

"You're pushing me away again. Every time you get scared you push me away", he says with panic in his voice. You just look at him dumbfounded as he shoves his cap back on and stares over at you.

"You're right. I am scared. I'm fucking terrified", you say, and hear your voice tremble. His face softens and he approaches you slowly, arms outstretched toward you. He places his hands on your shoulders and you look up into his desolate eyes.

"I know you are, but please try not to be", Taron says gently. "We don't know what will happen when this film is over. And we still have time, so until then, please just trust me and for the love of God, don't push me away anymore. I can't take it", he whispers and lowers his head. Your heart breaks for him and you are disgusted with yourself that it's because of you, once again. You place your hands against his jaw and lift his head, caressing him lightly.

"I'm sorry Taron", you murmur. And you truly are. He was right, it is your first instinct to run when you get scared and unfortunately, that usually involves running away from him. He brings his hands up to cradle your head and places his forehead against yours.

"Just please don't push me away anymore" he whispers again, pleading. You nod your head up and down, silently agreeing with him but it isn't enough apparently. "I need you to say it. Promise me you won't push me away anymore", he begs.

"I promise, I won't push you away anymore", and you think you mean it.

"Good. Because I need you, I need you so much", he breathes out.

"I need you too Taron," you say, not wanting to admit to yourself just how much. He continues to repeat himself in a hushed tone, punctuating each sentence with a kiss on a different part of your face.

"I need you." He kisses you on the forehead. "I need you so much." A kiss on the cheek. "I need you." Kiss on the chin. "God, I need you so much." And he finally kisses you on the lips and you welcome it madly. You grasp at his t-shirt, grabbing fistfuls of it as you kiss him like it's the first time. Unable to stay upright, due to either the physical or emotional exhaustion, you both drop to your knees, still clinging to each other desperately. Taron rocks back onto his heels and brings his legs forward into a sitting position as he drags you into his lap. You grip him tightly as you bury your face in his neck, inhaling his scent. He rocks you gently there on the floor of the costume tent, and although you know you're going to make every attempt to keep your promise to Taron, you also know in this moment that your heart will most likely never recover.


	27. The "Accident"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You are involved in an accident on set. Or is it??

After a little while of silence and clinging onto Taron for dear life, you decide it's probably better if you leave before you get caught. Reluctantly, you pull back from him to look into his eyes.

"We should probably go, don't you think?" You ask him softly. He studies you for a moment, then smiles and agrees.

"Yeah, might have a hard time explaining this one," he says chuckling and effectively lightening the mood. You climb off his lap, and stand, stretching your legs as you do since they have become stiff from being curled up for so long.

"How long were we sitting there?" You ask, noticing how time seems to stand still when you're with Taron.

"I have no idea", he replies, getting to his feet himself. "But my back is telling me it was awhile", he says stretching the area in question. You hear his spine crack and look over at him wide-eyed. "Sheesh, I'm getting old!" He exclaims playfully.

"Yeah right, you're still just a baby", you say smiling at him.

"Um, not quite. I'll be thirty next year", he says shuddering.

"Oh you're right, you're a geezer! Gross!" You tease, and he grabs at your ribs to tickle you, but you're too fast for him and you bolt away.

After locking the door behind you, the two of you walk hand in hand again back to his trailer. You don't realize until you've returned that your phone is still laying on his bed and still turned off. Taron goes into the bathroom, while you retrieve your phone and turn it on, then wait watching it until the screen lights. You frown as you see several mixed texts from Anthony. So much for him not contacting you again. You scroll through them while Taron is still pre-occupied in the bathroom.

Anthony: No, I haven't talked to Lisa yet about our conversation. I wanted to talk to you first. Can we please talk?

Five minutes later:

Anthony: I can call you. Anytime that's convenient for you. Just let me know.

An hour later:

Anthony: What did you say to Lisa? She's really upset...

Ten minutes later:

Anthony: I really think we NEED to talk, please call or text as soon as you can.

Uggh. Why is this happening now? You really don't have the time or energy to deal with this right now. But you don't have to, because Taron comes out of the bathroom, so you quickly close your phone and shove it in your back pocket. You feel bad not telling him about all this, but really, what would be the point?

"You ready?" He asks with a smile.

"Yes," you say as cheerfully as you can. The two of you don't say much on the ride back to the B&B, but there is definitely a different air between you than there was this morning. It doesn't feel strained and you haven't felt a chest pain since you left the costume tent. Taron glances over at you every few minutes and smiles, and you smile back. It just feels...peaceful. Natural. Almost like it was in the beginning. Almost.

Upon arriving at the B&B, the sun has almost set and the sky has taken on a pinkish purplish hue, with a few clouds still dotting the horizon. It's actually quite beautiful. Taron walks you to the front porch slowly without saying a word until you reach the door. You turn to face him, and put your arms around his neck to pull him to you. He sighs into you and nuzzles your neck which makes you tremble, but in the best way.

"Can I come in?" He asks in a low grumble near your ear, which does nothing to help your palpitating heart. You pull back to look into his eyes, which are intently focused on you.

"It's probably not a good idea," you whisper, knowing full well it is definitely not a good idea. Especially since you're trying to take things slow. "Besides, you haven't been home in over twenty four hours. Don't you miss your own shower and bed?" You ask earnestly.

"Not as much as I miss this," he says grasping you by the waist and backing you up against the door. He then kisses you eagerly and without hesitation. You melt into him and barely register the fact that someone could open the door and find you there at any moment. His tongue slips delicately into your mouth as your hands move up to his hair to tangle there. You love how long it's gotten, and enjoy the feeling of the soft strands intertwined between your fingers. He then groans and presses his body firmly to yours, the sensation nearly overtaking you. His hands travel from your waist down to your backside in an attempt to lift your leg to wrap it around his body. Now remembering that you are in fact on the front porch of the B&B, and not wanting to cause Julia to go into shock from finding two people making out there, you grab him by the arms to remove them from your body. Panting slightly, you pull back to look up into his lust-filled eyes as they stay trained hypnotically on your lips.

"Taron..."

"I know, I know. Bad timing, I'm sorry", he says, taking a step back from you and running a hand over his face.

"Don't be sorry. You didn't do anything wrong. Like you said, wrong time, wrong place," you say grinning at him. He must know how difficult this is for you as well, right?

"No worries. I'm starting to get used to cold showers," he says with a wink, and you purse your lips at him trying not to laugh. "TMI?" He asks.

"No, it's all good", you say, playfully patting him on the chest.

"Whew!" He says with a dramatic exhale, wiping at his forehead which makes you grin widely at him.

"Goodnight Taron," you say leaning in to lightly kiss his cheek.

"Goodnight love, sleep tight," he says, taking your hand and placing a kiss against the back of it. He then turns to leave and for once; you are not sad, confused or distraught at his leaving. Well maybe a little sad, but in a good way.

You close the door softly behind you, then make your way up the stairs to your room. You are so tired, your bed is a much welcome sight. After deciding on a morning shower and quickly changing into pj's, you fall into bed and snuggle down under the covers. Before closing your eyes, you check your phone to see if Anthony has texted again since you still haven't answered him. He hasn't, thankfully, but you no longer care because you see that you have a text from Taron waiting for you instead. You smile as you slide open the text.

Taron: Sweet dreams. Hope I'm in them. (winking emoji)

You: Always. (smiling emoji)

You set your phone back on the bedside table, let your eyes drift close, and despite what you just told Taron, fall easily into a dreamless sleep.

The next morning after a good night's rest and re-energizing shower, you eat a hurried breakfast with Julia in the kitchen before meeting Taron. You've grown accustomed to your little morning chats with her, and almost feel like she's been your mother away from home. You know you will be happy to see your own mom, but will miss Julia when you have to leave here eventually. She mentions that there is a big wedding party coming in soon that she's anxiously awaiting. She says she's nervous, but you can tell she's excited to have the little house full again. You help her clear the breakfast dishes, then go outside to wait impatiently on the porch for Taron's arrival. As soon as you see him start to pull up into the drive, you bound out to the car to meet him. He greets you in turn with a beaming smile and a venti skinny vanilla latte, your favorite.

"Oh my gosh, I love you!" You exclaim as you take the coffee from him, then feel yourself flush from head to toe as you realize what you just said. "I mean, I love IT, the coffee...I love the coffee. Thank you...," you stutter, and feel like a prize idiot. Taron laughs.

"I know what you meant", he says with a winning smile, and you relax a little hoping that you aren't too deep a shade of crimson. You just smile back awkwardly and take a sip of the hot liquid fuel. After a few moments of driving, your mind drifts to Anthony and the unanswered text still plaguing your phone. You still haven't decided if you should try and tell him off once and for all or just simply ignore him. The latter is definitely the easier option, but you don't want him to keep texting you either. You wonder if you should ask Taron his opinion, but quickly decide against it. Thinking about your ex has got you wondering more about Taron's ex, so you decide to ask him about that instead.

"Taron?" You ask slowly.

"Hmm?" He responds, eyes still on the road.

"Can I ask you something?"

"You can ask me anything," he says, now turning to look at you and smile.

"What was your ex like?" You ask, hoping that this doesn't come across as too nosey and that he's comfortable talking about her. You really only had that one conversation about her and he didn't say much then.

"Oh," he says sounding surprised. "I wasn't expecting that question."

"I'm sorry, we don't have to talk about it if you're uncomfortable", you say, trying to reassure him.

"No it's fine. I was just surprised," he says, now with a straight face. "Well, let's see. She was very sweet and kind, very beautiful..." You smile at his flattering words. "But she didn't like the spotlight, movie premieres and appearances were always a bit of a challenge. Not that there were very many of those to worry about", he says laughing it off slightly.

"I have a feeling that may change very soon," you say smiling over at him. He grins back.

"Actually, I do have one coming up soon, for Robin Hood," he says looking over at you with a look of anticipation lighting his eyes. You just smile and nod at him, then continue your interrogation about his ex-girlfriend.

"But the reason you broke up is because you never really saw each other, right?" You ask, recalling your earlier conversation.

"That was the main reason, but there were other reasons too...," he says, drifting off.

"Like what?"

"I guess we just never felt that...connection. You know? That all-consuming, need to be together, movie-kind-of-passion. It's hard to explain. And I know, completely unrealistic to expect," he says, glancing over at you with a hint of something in his eyes. Nervousness?

"No I get what you mean. I guess that's kind of the way it was with Anthony. I mean, I thought I felt that connection, but I guess he didn't," you say, shrugging your shoulders.

"Was there ever a point where you noticed that things had changed? Or was it just a complete shock when he left?" Taron asks.

"At the time it felt like a complete shock, I think I was just blissfully unaware. But looking back, there were signs I guess. Like, halfway into our relationship, he stopped wanting to be alone with me. We would always have to go out with his friends or family. I guess I thought at the time that it was normal", you try and explain.

"Hmm," is Taron's only response, so you continue.

"You know for a year, I agonized over what I did wrong. Why he felt the need to leave me like that with no explanation. Like, was I that bad that he couldn't even stand to talk to me about it?" You say, shaking your head remembering that terrible time. At this, Taron speaks up, assertively.

"First of all, you did nothing wrong. I don't know the details of your relationship, but unless you killed someone or drowned some puppies, there is no excuse for what he did," he says insistently, and you can't help but grin at his analogy. He silently clenches his jaw for a few moments.

"And second of all?" You ask curiously.

"Oh right. And second of all, any man should consider himself lucky to be with you, apart from your serious lack of movie knowledge," he says with a side grin.

"Ha ha," you reply dryly. "That's actually very sweet of you to say, but I don't think he was all to blame. Over time, as I looked back on our relationship, I realized that I could be very clingy. And maybe that was part of it, or all of it, who knows..."

"Hmm, interesting," Taron replies, rubbing his chin.

"What?" You ask.

"Well, you say you were clingy, and again, I don't know anything about it so I don't know if you were or not. But if you were, maybe that's why you tend to push me away sometimes", he explains, and the mention of this makes your heart beat faster.

"What do you mean?" You ask sincerely.

"If you thought you were clingy before, and that's why you think he left, you might be subconsciously trying to do the opposite now," he says, and you stare down at your coffee cup in your hands.

"Maybe, I never thought about it that way before," you say quietly, then there's a few moments of silence between you.

"Hey," he says lifting your chin with his finger and eyeing you quickly before glancing back at the road, "it's ok, I understand completely," he says reassuringly.

"Well if I have pushed you away, it's because this relationship," you say motioning between the two of you with your hand, "is totally unique, so there's that," you say, trying to lighten the mood.

"There is that," he agrees with a smile. Moments later, you turn the corner into the studio entrance, and you consider the conversation closed, for now. You're not sure how it shifted to you and your past relationship anyway, when you started out asking about his.

Once arriving at the make-up trailer, you walk into a flurry of activity going on inside. Everyone seems to be all worked up over today's scene and Taron's hair, make-up and costume. Once you've settled in and put away your personal things, you learn that he is to be dressed like Queen Elizabeth; complete with bright red wig and crown, white painted face and heart-shaped beauty mark, and an elaborately styled gown. Come to think of it, you do recall seeing something like that in the costume tent last night. After receiving instructions and gathering supplies, you set to work on transforming him into the famous monarch.

It takes nearly two hours for Lizzie to be satisfied with the results, but when Taron is finished, you stand back to admire your work, and realize that he is almost unrecognizable. Not too shabby, if you do say so yourself.

"How do I look?" Taron asks in his best impersonation of a aristocratic Elizabethan royal.

"Lovely dahling," You answer right back, mimicking the accent as best you can. He laughs, which makes you laugh in turn.

"Right then, time to go put on a dress!" Taron exclaims as he makes his way to the door.

"Good luck with that!" You call after him and begin to put your things away as he exits. You have seen no sign of Olivia since you got here which has put you in very pleasant mood. You are almost done putting away all your things and are looking forward to a bit of down time until you are called on set for touch-ups. 

Now that you are alone, you decide that it might be a good time to deal with Anthony. You pull out your phone to re-read the last four texts he sent, but you still have no idea what to say to him. It's still early in L.A. and you doubt he will even respond right away, so you decide to just try and keep it simple, and begin to type.

You: Anthony, you and Lisa are getting married. It's fine, I'm over it. I'm over you frankly. So whatever it is you think we need to talk about really doesn't matter anymore. I hope you will be happy together. I truly mean that. Maybe one day Lisa and I will be friends again, maybe not. But I'd really just like to put this whole thing behind me, and I can't do that if you don't stop contacting me. You need to try and forget about whatever feelings you think you have for me and concentrate on your fiancee. She at least deserves that. Please tell her that I am very sorry that I can't attend her wedding. I guess I'm weak but it would just be too awkward. Good luck and goodbye.

You hit send on the text and watch the phone for a few seconds to see if he is going to reply. Suddenly, one of the crew members that was with you at the bar that night a few weeks ago, either Mandy or Sarah, you can't remember which, bursts through the make-up trailer door and quickly scans the room.

When she locates you, she says hurriedly, "We need all hands on deck to get Taron into his costume!" She then leaves you standing there and flies out the door, presumably to find additional help.

"Well ok then," You mutter to yourself. Tossing your phone into your bag, you quickly make your way to the door and on to the costume tent, all thoughts of Anthony forgotten.

After the short walk there, you push open the door to find six or seven people all buzzing around Taron frantically. He is only wearing a robe and you're not exactly sure what they're doing, so you approach them to get a better look. As you get closer, you see that they are measuring him in all sorts of places and about ten feet away, there are several more people fussing with the ornate costume. When he spots you, he immediately gives you a "help me" look, but all you can do is shrug your shoulders and smile at him. He smiles back and you step into the madness that is getting an actor ready for a complicated wardrobe change. Someone shoves a pin box into your hands and says gruffly, "Be ready to pin!" You just nod your head, acting like you know what's going on. Then someone removes his robe and Taron is standing there in only his underwear, but there are so many people surrounding him that you barely notice. Just barely. Then, people start stepping out of the way as the top part of the costume is brought over, held by four different people that were messing with it before. Taron holds out his arms and the costume is carefully placed over them and onto his torso. People then begin to adjust and straighten the front, while more people go behind him to lace up the back. You're starting to wonder where the bottom of the costume is and what it is you're supposed to be pinning, when you see it being carried over as well. "Someone hold up the top!" Someone shouts, so you help with that as they shimmy the skirt up his legs and fasten it around his waist. They then scoot it all the way around so that the closure is in the back. Looking down, you see that the skirt is dragging the ground. You assume a little drag is normal, but this seems excessive and you realize that this must be what you're supposed to be pinning. You drop to the ground and open up the little box of pins, being extremely careful not to drop any of them, and begin pinning the hem of the luxurious skirt. You had helped with costuming a little in school, so you at least know what you're doing to some degree. Although you do have to wonder why this wasn't done before during the many fittings that Taron had to endure. You are about halfway around the skirt, darting in and around people's feet and legs, when you hear a distinct voice from above your head.

"I'm here! What can I do to help?" Olivia says in her super sugary voice, and you roll your eyes since no one can see you here on the floor. Someone gives her some sort of instruction and you concentrate back on your task. A few more pins and you will have completed the entire skirt. You are balancing yourself on one knee when someone bumps into you, so you have to steady yourself with your hand on the floor to keep from falling over. What happens next is a series of events that seems to take place in slow motion, while simultaneously happening all at once.

Suddenly and without warning, a shooting white hot pain sears through your two outer fingers and the edge of your left hand.

Without being able to hold it back, you cry out in a blood curdling shriek that penetrates every corner of the space around you.

Desperately trying to find the source of the pain, you see the heel of a Doc Marten boot pressed firmly against your hand on the floor.

Looking up to find the owner of the boot, you see that it's Olivia and she has the most appallingly devilish look on her face.

Olivia removes her boot from your hand and squeals out, "Oh my God! I am so sorry!" in her most innocent of voices.

Taron tries to crouch down, much to the chagrin of everyone stuffing him into the costume, and says, "What's wrong? What happened? Are you ok?" In the most panicked voice you think you've ever heard from him.

Everyone else in the room pulls him back up to a standing position, all while speaking maniacally at once.

"What happened? Who screamed?"

"Taron, you have to stay still!"

"Find out what's wrong with her!" Spoken by Taron.

"Olivia, what did you do?"

"It was an accident!"

"She's hurt, someone help her!" Also spoken by Taron.

"Someone get her to the medic!"

Then finally, you feel several pairs of hands go around you to lift you from the floor. The first thing you see when you are finally upright are Taron's hysterical eyes. There is concern written all over his face, and your heart breaks for him even though you are the one in agony. Then someone is next to you, cradling your mangled hand in his, and you look over to see that it's Bruce, Lizzie's other assistant. Your breathing is labored and you feel wetness on your face, and realize that tears have been streaming from your eyes. You wipe them away quickly, and finally look down to see angry looking bruises already forming on your hand. 

"Come on, lets get you checked out," Bruce says, as he guides you by the shoulder with one arm, with his other arm supporting your injured hand. He then leads you away from the madness and on to the medic you suppose. You reach around with your good hand to place it gently over the bruised one, and pray silently that it's not too badly hurt. As Bruce walks you out of the costume tent, you glance behind you one last time before exiting to find that Taron is still watching after you, with the most terrified and helpless look etched all over his heavily made-up face. You try to give him a reassuring look, but on the inside you are already worrying about what this will mean for your future here on set. Now, not only does your hand ache horribly, but the chest pain has returned as well, and with a devastating vengeance.


	28. All That Matters

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You go to the hospital for your hand and are not happy with the diagnosis. But Taron makes it better...

Once you're outside the costume tent and back into the bright sunshine, Bruce ushers you over to the nearest golf cart and practically shoves you in. He's completely silent on the five minute ride to the medic, and you don't know if that's a good or bad thing. The pain is starting to dissipate a bit, but you're not sure if that's because it's starting to go numb or not. When you finally arrive at the medic trailer, Bruce leads you up the stairs as if it's your legs that are disabled instead of your hand. The man inside, Bob, you learn, looks over at you from a computer he's typing on and asks what happened. Bruce explains quickly that "something happened to her hand". No shit something happened to your hand, Olivia fucking tried to crush it under her ridiculous boot that no one has any business wearing on a movie set. Bob stands and walks over to you; then turns your hand over slowly, examining it from all angles through a pair of thick black rimmed spectacles.

He clears his throat a couple of times, then finally declares, "She needs to go to the ER", as simply as if he'd said, "she needs to comb her hair." You stare blankly at him for a few seconds and he stares right back. "But I'll get you some ice to put on it", he says as an afterthought. "And you'll need your medical form, I'll get that too." You had forgotten that you filled one out when you were hired, but you're thankful since your purse and insurance card are all the way back at the make-up trailer and you have no desire to prolong your agony any longer.

"Thanks", you reply just as simply. He then ambles away to retrieve the ice, and Bruce turns to look at you.

"How is it?" He asks hesitantly.

"Well, it fucking hurts to be honest", you snap back, then immediately regret it when you see the shocked look on his face. "I'm sorry. It's not your fault. Thank you for helping me", you say as sincerely as you can.

"No worries", he replies. Bruce is a man of few words, but that's just fine with you at the moment. Bob returns with a small bag of ice, and placing his hand under your bruised one, sets the bag gently over it.

"Keep this on until you get to hospital", he instructs, and you nod in agreement. After he hands you the form, Bruce leads you back outside, back to the golf cart, and presumably on to the parking lot. You really wish Taron were the one taking you, but you know that's impossible. Bruce continues his vow of silence on the way to the hospital, and your mind drifts to Olivia and all the ways she might be taking advantage of your absence. You press your good hand over your forehead, trying to ease the headache that is forming there, and ignoring the rising nausea that is threatening to overtake you.

After what seems like hours, you finally arrive at the small local hospital emergency room, where Bruce continues to lead you around like a small child. You check in and give them the form Bob gave you, then wait about fifteen minutes to be called into a room. Bruce finally leaves you alone at that point, and you are grateful to no longer have to pretend that you don't feel horrible.

The nurse leads you into a small cubicle complete with a ringed curtain, and proceeds to take your vitals and asks you how the injury occurred. You tell the story and insinuate that it was an accident, although the jury is definitely still out on that one. She nods and jots something down on a clipboard, then takes the bag of now water from your hand. You see that the bruises have formed an angry looking reddish blue color, and have spread from your outer hand inward. You also notice that your pinky is curled in at a slightly odd angle, but it might just be your imagination, or that you're favoring it from the pain. She leaves you alone to wait for the doctor, and you suddenly have an overwhelming desire to have Taron with you, or at the very least, your mother. You've actually never had a broken bone or injury in your entire life and have never had to spend any time in a hospital, other than when you were born of course. You don't care for the sterile antiseptic smell invading your nostrils either, or the overly bright white lights overhead. You've felt plenty alone in the last few months being in a strange country, but never so much as you do at this moment. The panic is starting to rise up within you, when suddenly, someone pokes their head around the side of the curtain and you break out into a wide grin, despite the overwhelming pain you're in.

"Richard!" You exclaim, and jump up from the papered hospital table you were sitting on, the abrupt movement causing new pain to go shooting through your hand, but you don't care. You throw your good arm around his neck for a quick hug, and he returns the gesture before pulling back to look you over. You seen concern written on his face, and it reminds you of the way Taron was looking at you as you left the costume tent, except not quite as intense.

"Are you ok? What happened?" He asks, eyeing you then glancing down at your hand that you are now cradling. You look down at it too, and explain for the second time today what happened back on set. You see anger flash over his eyes.

"That bitch!" He exclaims roughly in his Scottish accent.

"Yeah...," you agree simply. "Wait, what are you doing here Rich?" You ask, suddenly realizing that he wasn't even on set today and wouldn't have known what had happened.

"Taron sent me," he says smiling sideways at you, and you feel a smile pull at your lips as well.

"Really?" You ask, and you're not sure why this surprises you, but it does.

"Aye. He called me all in a panic that you had gotten hurt and he couldn't get away. So he asked if I would meet you here and of course I agreed. I sent Bruce home," he says flashing you that toothy grin. You're not sure what to say so you just smile back. Then the sound of Richard's cell phone pierces the small space and it makes you jump a little. He pulls it out of his pocket and glances down at it saying, "Ah, speak of the devil..." He shows you the phone and you see Taron's name flashing across the screen. He answers the call and holds it up to his ear as you watch him intently. "Hey T. Yes I'm here. She's ok," he says eyeing you. He pulls the phone away from his mouth and asks you, "Have you seen the doc yet?" You shake your head. "No she hasn't. Oh...ok. Alright. Alright! Yes, ok. Bye." He ends the call and you're surprised he didn't ask to speak with you. Apparently you have a frown on your face because Richard quickly adds, "He was between takes, had to get back, but he wanted to check in. He's called me about fifteen times since I left my flat", he says, rolling his eyes.

"That sound about right," you say, heading back to your paper seat and climb back on as Richard takes a seat on the doctor's rolling chair. A few minutes later the doctor arrives, and Richard pops back up. Dr. Cleveland introduces himself and you tell your story for the third time. Afterward, he holds your hand gently in his, and examines it much like Bob did, but in a much more professional, medicinal way.

"Well, it's hard to say, but it looks like you might have a fracture in the fifth digit", and you frown slightly at him. "The pinky finger", he explains and you nod. "Let's get some x-rays ordered, then we'll know more. Sound good?" He asks, as if you really have a choice. After agreeing to x-rays, he leaves the room and you sigh heavily. You're trying really hard not to think about what this will mean for your job, but it keeps creeping back in.

As if reading your mind, Richard puts a hand on your shoulder and says, "It'll be ok. I'm just going to text Taron to give him an update before he loses his mind", he says smiling. But you only swallow down the lump that's formed in your throat and watch him as he does so.

Another twenty minutes go by, with Richard entertaining you with stories of filming the "Honky Cat" scene and his apparent inability to sing and dance, when finally a different nurse than before comes to collect you for x-rays. You can see that she is a little distracted by Richard, but she instructs him to wait there, then takes you to the radiology rooms. Once inside, she puts a waited apron over your torso, then instructs you to place your hand over a small pad. She then goes behind a wall and tells you to stay completely still as you hear a series of beeps and clicks. She has you move your hand to several different positions, which all prove to be quite uncomfortable, then more beeps and clicks as more pictures are taken. The whole process only takes about five minutes, then you are led back down the maze of hallways, and back to your room where Richard is waiting for you. He looks up from his phone when you enter and smiles.

"Hey! Taron only called me twice while you were gone!" He says as soon as the gawking nurse leaves the room.

"I thought he was supposed to be filming. He must be really freaking out," you admit out loud.

"Yes, he is. And understandably so. He cares a lot about you, you know", he says sincerely.

"Yes, I know," you agree, and leave it at that. Not long after, Dr. Cleveland returns and tells you matter-of-factly that you have a hairline fracture in your pinky finger, and a pretty severe bone bruise on your ring finger and fourth and fifth meta carpals (the outside of your hand). He explains that the nurse will return to put your finger in a splint, and wrap your hand in a compression bandage to reduce swelling. He instructs you how to ice and elevate it over the next few days, and also says he will prescribe you some pain medicine and an anti-inflammatory. It all sounds a bit overwhelming and you hope that Richard is paying attention so he can help you remember everything later. When he is finally done talking and asks if you have any questions, all you want to know is how long it will take to heal.

"Oh, I'd say anywhere from four to six weeks", he says, and your eyes go wide but you say nothing. The doctor also says he'd like to see you back in a few weeks to check the progress of the healing and you nod your head.

After you are left alone with Richard again, you start to break down. "What am I going to do Richard?! I can't work with this!" You exclaim, holding up your maimed hand. Richard stands and walks over to you, then goes down on one knee so that he can look up into your eyes.

"It's alright. You don't know what's going to happen. Try and not worry just yet", he says calmly, but you see uncertainty in his eyes. When the nurse returns with the splint, bandage and prescription, your mind drifts to Taron and what his reaction to all of this will be. As if by telepathy, Richard's phone rings and you know it's Taron. He steps outside to take the call as to not disturb the nurse while she does her work. She also puts you in a sling to keep on until you get home to keep your hand elevated, which seems a bit excessive to you. When the nurse is finished, she hands you the prescription, written instructions for self-care and two small pain pills to get you started. You swallow them down with the small paper cup of water she provided, and stand up preparing to leave. Richard returns at that moment with an overwhelmed look on his face. When his eyes meet yours, he replaces it with a soft smile. "You good to go?" He asks, eyeing your bandaged hand.

"Yes. Was that Taron?" You ask, knowing for certain it was.

"Yes, I gave him a run-down of everything that's going on and he wants me to take you to his flat", he explains.

"What, why?" You ask, assuming he's still at the studio.

"Well, he's finishing up and he wanted to come straight here, but I told him we were probably leaving soon so he wanted me to bring you to him," Richard says, taking the instructions and prescription from you, and leading you out of the room by your slinged elbow.

"Ok, but again, why? Why can't I just go home and he can meet me there?"

"I don't know love. But he was very insistent and he will probably disown me as his friend if I don't follow his instructions", he says, as the two of you enter the main waiting area and to the outer doors beyond.

"Ok fine," you finally give in. No point in arguing with Taron once he's made up his mind about something. Richard leads you to his car, and then drives you out of the hospital parking lot and on to the pharmacy from the address on the little piece of paper the nurse gave you.

Forty five minutes later, you arrive at Taron's apartment, and are just starting to feel the woozy effects of the pain meds as you ride up the several floors to his floor. When the elevator doors ding open, you are just a little shocked to see Taron standing in front of them, apparently waiting for your arrival. You can see traces of the white make-up still around his hairline, and the look on his face is that of complete anguish.

"Oh my God," he breathes out as he sees your bandaged hand and arm in a sling. "What took you so long?" He says, eyeing Richard and pulling you into him gently.

"Sorry mate, had to get her medication," Richard explains, but Taron just crushes you against his side, being careful not to touch your injured one. When he finally releases you, he turns to Richard.

"I'm sorry, I know you went as fast as you could. Thanks for taking care of my girl and bringing her here. I owe you one mate", Taron says apologetically.

"No worries, T. I'll let you take it from here. Hope you feel better soon darling", Richard says to you and then gives you a little kiss on your cheek. You smile at him and thank him again. After the doors to the elevator have closed and Richard is gone, Taron turns back to you with the look of despair again.

"Are you alright? I was losing my mind not knowing if you were ok or not," he says gripping your face with his hands and searching your eyes.

"I'm fine Taron. It's just my hand. See?" You say, holding up the hand in question. Taron takes it delicately in both of his as if he's cradling a baby bird.

"How bad does it hurt?" He asks, caressing it gently in his hands.

"Not as bad now. I think the pain meds are kicking in", you answer, and he starts to lead you toward the apartment door.

"I swear to God, I almost fucking murdered Olivia," Taron says fuming, as he leads you over to the couch and guides you to sit.

"Taron, it was just an accident," you say unconvincingly. There's really no way to tell if it was an accident or not, but it doesn't even matter now. It happened and now you have to deal with it.

"Was it?" He asks defiantly.

"I don't know," you sigh. "But I really don't want to talk about it anymore. Is that ok?" He softens a bit at this.

"Yes, of course. For now... What are you supposed to do for your hand?" He asks, and you pull out the piece of paper with the instructions from your pocket and hand it to him. He takes it, then scans it quickly. "Ok, so we need to elevate it and ice it", he says, already reaching for a pillow to prop carefully under your hand. "I'll go get some ice," and he pops up to practically run to the kitchen. As you hear him rummaging around for ice, he says, "Oh, I also grabbed your bag on my way out. Thought you might need it."

"Oh yeah!" You call out. "Hopefully my phone is in there too. Could you bring it to me?" You ask, as you carefully remove the sling and toss it aside.

"Of course," he answers, then returns shortly after with a bag of ice that he lays gently over your hand that's resting on the pillow, then hands you your bag.

"Great thanks." You dig around it one-handed until you've located your phone, then pull it out and toss the bag on the floor next to the couch. You turn it on to see that you have several missed calls and texts from Anthony, uggghh, but nothing of any other importance. You definitely are not in the mood to deal with him at the moment, so you toss the phone back into your bag and try and forget about it. Actually, for the first time since he contacted you, you could care less if you ever text him back or talk to him again. In fact, maybe you just won't. Being there in that hospital made you realize that all you want is for Taron to be with you. Nothing else really matters. And now that he is, you just want to focus on him. You realize now that the connection you were missing with Anthony is exactly what you have with Taron. A connection that won't be broken by other people's stupidity, work complications, or even geography. You don't know what's caused you to suddenly feel so enlightened; perhaps it's the pain medication, or just being here with the person that makes you feel the most at home.

Taron sits down carefully next to you and you smile warmly at him and notice that your hand hardly hurts anymore, but he's still looking at you like you're a helpless infant. "Taron, I'm fine. I promise. Ok?" You try and reassure him. He just shakes his head and looks down at his hands.

"I feel like it's my fault," he says softly and your heart hurts.

"Taron, no. Why would you think that?" You ask, craning your neck around to try and see his downcast eyes.

"Because of Olivia," he whispers. "I feel like she did it on purpose because of her feelings for me", he admits.

"Taron, whether that's true or not, you can't control what other people do. It's not your fault, ok?" You say, turning his head with your good hand to look at you.

"I felt so helpless. Knowing you were hurt and there was nothing I could do about it", he continues to whisper, and you see his eyes fill. "I just don't ever want to be the reason you're hurting."

"Baby, it's ok", you whisper back. "I'm ok," you say, and urge his face toward yours. You close your eyes and press your lips sweetly to his. He remains motionless for a moment, then starts to respond and moves his lips against yours. You wrap your arm around his neck and pull him closer, while still keeping your lame hand resting on the pillow next to you. He carefully envelopes you in his arms and closes the small distance between you. You are feeling very euphoric at the moment and you're not sure if it's because of the pain meds, or because you're in Taron's arms, or both. You pull him close to lay over you and scoot your bottom down so that you are lying more horizontal, while still protecting your hand. It feels very awkward, but you don't care because in this moment, you want him. So much. But he pulls back to look into your eyes.

"I don't want to hurt you," he says softy.

You know he's talking about your hand, but you stare deep into his eyes and whisper, "You could never hurt me." He just stares right back, concern etched on his beautiful face, until you pull him back to your mouth and kiss him deeply. Abandoning the pillow, you gingerly raise your numb hand to wrap it around his neck as well; and settle further down onto the couch, pulling your legs up so that you are laying completely flat with Taron hovering over you. He clambers up onto the couch as well, and you reposition your legs so that you can wrap them around his body. His pelvis shifts into yours, and you have to pull away from his face to catch your breath from the feeling of his body pressed into yours once again. With your neck now exposed to his mouth, he kisses and nips his way up your throat to your ear, and you think you might hyperventilate from all the sensations hitting you at once. You're really not sure how much longer you can "take it slow". In fact, to hell with that. You want him, he wants you. Why wait any longer? You fumble around the hem of his shirt with your one good hand trying to remove it, but it's no use, you can't quite maneuver it over his expansive back. So instead, your hand moves around to his front, and you toy with the button of his jeans until it finally pops open. This gets his attention, and he pulls himself away from your neck to look at you, his breathing quite labored.

"What are you doing?" He asks gruffly. Instead of answering, you ask your own question.

"Why don't we go into the bedroom? We'll be more comfortable...," you say, bringing his neck to your mouth so you can kiss him there. He groans and closes his eyes, letting you work your magic along his stubbly neck and jaw for a few moments before pulling away again. He says your name in a pained voice and looks at you with that same conflicted expression you've seen so many times now.

"God I want to. You know I really want to. But you're hurt, and I think you might be a little doped up from your medicine", he says tracing your hairline with his thumb. You stick out your bottom lip and pout.

"I'm fine... I just want to be with you", you tell him earnestly. He just studies you so you decide to tell him what you were thinking before. You do feel slightly "high", but not to the point where you don't have cohesive thoughts. "Taron, all I could think about in that hospital was how much I wanted you there with me."

"Oh God, don't say that. That just makes me feel worse", he says putting a hand over his face and rubbing his forehead.

"No, that's not what I meant", you say removing his hand. His brow furrows and you smile at him. "You know how we were talking about feeling that connection with someone?" You ask, and he nods his head. "Well, that's what I feel with you. I realize what it is now. I thought I had it with Anthony, but it's nothing compared to how I feel about you", you say, tracing his forehead creases with your index finger. "When I was in that hospital, hurt and feeling alone, all I could think about was you. I just need you. I'm probably not making any sense right now and I'm sorry. But I want to be with you, more than anything. You said last night that you needed me, well I want to show you how much I need you. Is that ok?" You ask, now wondering if you've said too much. His eyes flutter closed and his face relaxes. He swallows, then opens his eyes and smiles sweetly at you.

"Of course that's ok. I hope you know I feel the exact same way", he says, brushing your hair back from your face with his fingertips. "You have no idea what it means to me to hear you say that, but I kinda have a rule that I don't take advantage of women who just had their hands crushed and are doped up on paid meds. Call me old fashioned...", he says with a lopsided grin. You can't help but smile back and let out a sigh.

"Wrong time, wrong place?" You ask, repeating his words from last night.

"Exactly", he says, tapping the end of your nose.

"Fine," you say, giving in. "But eventually you're going to have to just suck it up", you say jokingly.

"Interesting turn of phrase", he teases, and you lightly smack him with your good hand. He chuckles then finally peels himself off you, buttoning his jeans as he does so, and the loss of his body contact makes you feel a little empty. He carefully rolls behind you to spoon your back on the small couch, while you rest your mangled hand back onto the pillow. You snuggle back into him, closing your eyes and enjoying the feeling of his warmth, his body contouring to yours. 

You know you should have plenty to worry about right now. Anthony and Lisa, Olivia and what's going to happen when you return to work, the status of your job; but in this moment you could care less about any of it. The only thing that matters is this right here. This moment, this man wrapped around you, his soft breath against your ear, his heart beating gently against your back; the rest just all fades away. 

As you calm your weary mind and body, you hear Taron whisper softly in your ear.

"I'm sorry I wasn't there."

"You're here now. That's all that matters", you whisper back. And lying here with Taron like this, you've never felt so sure about anything in your entire life.


	29. Almost

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You find yourself in an interesting position at Taron's apartment.

You find yourself in a dark room. As your eyes adjust, you can just make out a dim light a few feet away. You squint your eyes and lean forward to try and see where the light is coming from and to figure out where you are. Scanning your surroundings, you realize that you are somewhere familiar and it suddenly comes to you. You're in the small bathroom of Taron's make-up trailer, except there is nothing in the room. No toilet, no shower, no sink...nothing, except emptiness. But you know without a doubt that's where you are. It's also much smaller than you remember, and you realize that nothing would even fit in here besides one or two people. The light becomes brighter, and continues to grow brighter and brighter until you have to shield your eyes from the blinding light. As you cover your eyes with your hand, you realize you are no longer alone in the room. There is another presence in here with you and the feeling makes your skin crawl. It's not a friendly presence, but that of malevolence and evil. You feel their hot breath on your cheek and know exactly who's standing inches from your face. You peel your hand away to come face to face with the person in front of you, and are shocked to see a pair of green eyes staring back at you. Taron's eyes, except with a look that you've never seen in them before. Hatred, pure unadulterated hatred with a devilish smirk crossing over his once beautiful features. You look at him confused, hurt and...frightened. Then, a pair of slender arms go around his chest from behind him, and you see Olivia's malicious gaze appear over his shoulder. Your eyes slide from his to hers, then back to his again, asking the question that your lips can't seem to form. You see something glinting in her hands and you realize that it's the source of the blinding light that still sears your vision. It's the pair of scissors that Olivia held in her hands the other day, except now they are shining with the brightest, most threatening light you've ever seen. Taron turns to look at her and she hands the scissors to him with a sly smile. He takes them fiercely in his hand and turns back to glare at you, pointing the razor sharp blades directly at your face. The light from them is so vivid, that spots begin to form behind your eyes as your heart races. Every neuron in your body is telling you to run but there is nowhere to escape to in this small space. You instinctively cover your face with your hands at a meek attempt to protect yourself. Your body shakes with the anticipation of the agonizing blow that's sure to follow as you hear Olivia's voice hiss out, "Do it!"

The next thing you feel is excruciating pain searing through your hand as it jolts you awake. It takes you a few seconds to calm your breathing and remember where you are. The details of the dream are already starting to fade away as you adjust yourself slightly on the small sofa and pull your aching hand toward your chest. The throbbing pain radiates from your hand out to your fingers, and it seems to hurt worse now than it did when it first happened. You are suddenly aware of Taron's sleeping form behind you when you feel the steady movement of his chest as he inhales and exhales deeply. You don't want to disturb him but you are in too much pain and too uncomfortable to stay in your current position. You start to lift yourself upright from your lying position, using your good arm to steady you, and swing your legs over to the floor. You press your hand to your forehead and find that it's damp with sweat. Your anxiety is building as the pain continues and the fragments of the disorienting dream swirl around your mind. You turn around to see Taron still sleeping peacefully, curled up on the couch, his eyelids fluttering as he dreams. Seeing him calms you a bit and you want desperately for him to comfort you, but you don't want to wake him either.

Needing to find solace, you then think of your mom, and realize you should probably tell her what happened. Rising from the couch slowly as to not wake Taron, you grab your bag from the floor where you dropped it and creep quietly to his bedroom. Noticing that it's 10:00 pm here, still relatively early back home, you dial your mom's number and wait impatiently for her to pick up. She answers on the second ring and you tell her, in all your gory detail, the story of the day's events for what is hopefully the last time. She listens intently, ooohs and ahhs at the appropriate times, and consoles you in a way that only a mother can. Hearing her voice makes you intensely homesick, and that coupled with the stabbing pain in your hand along with the rest of the mess that is your life, finally causes you to break down once you've said goodbye to her. Your back is to the door of the bedroom as you clasp your hand over your face and sob quietly.

You are so focused on your grief, that you jump slightly when you feel a hand rest lightly on your shoulder. Turning around slowly, you are grateful to find Taron standing there, a sleepy look of sorrow passing over his eyes. He moves his hands to cradle your face and looks at you sympathetically.

"Baby what's wrong?" He asks softy, concern all over his face. You don't even know where to start or even why you're so upset.

"I don't know...nothing...everything..." You trail off.

"Is it your hand?" He asks, gently lifting your hand in his and studying it as if he can see the pain there.

"No, yes. It's that...and everything", you choke out and he continues to search your face.

"What else? Talk to me...please", he pleads. You sigh heavily and decide to just tell him everything that's been going through your mind.

"I just talked to my mom. I miss her...and home", you say, and notice that his eyes go wide as you say this but he lets you continue. "And Anthony keeps texting me, and Lisa wants me to be her maid-of-honor, and I don't know if I can keep working with this", you say holding up your hand. "And my chest has been hurting and I don't know why, and I had this dream about you and Olivia, and you tried....oh God Taron. It's all just too much!" It all comes out in an incoherent blubbering rush and you're not even sure if he understood it all, but when you are finished, he just stares at you with a complete look of shock on his face and once again you've probably said too much.

You are wondering which of your admissions he'll ask you about first, but all he does is place both his palms against your face, looks deep into your eyes and asks, "What can I do?" Your heart explodes and everything in your body screams at you to just hold onto him and never let go.

"Make me forget", you plead.

"What?" He breathes out, confused by your request.

"Make it go away Taron. Please just make it all just go away," you whisper, as you close your eyes and lean into him. You are convinced that the only way you will feel better is to be with him, right here, right now. You grab onto his neck and pull him to you, closing the distance as your lips touch his. Once again, he is stunned at first and doesn't respond to your sudden desire. But a moment later, it's like a switch is flipped. He responds almost in a panic to your feverish kiss, taking your mouth quickly with his. His mouth is like a desperate need; kissing your lips, your jaw, your ear, your neck as you breath out heavily and grasp onto his back. His hands travel down your shoulders to your waist then land on your backside, all while you kiss him and cling to him frantically. He squeezes you hard, then hoists you up to carry you the two feet to the bed. You barely have time to wrap your legs around him before he is practically tossing you onto the bed and scooting you both up the mattress as you continue to grip him tightly with your legs and arms. Your injured hand hangs limply around his shoulder and you are aware that you barely notice the pain now. Once you are both lying flat at the head of the bed, he pulls back to look you in the eyes and you think he's going to say that he shouldn't go any further. But instead, he just gazes longingly at you before dipping his head back down to graze your jaw with his teeth and lips. The sensation is exhilarating, just like it is every time he touches you, and you can't believe that you are finally going to be with him. Your hands move slowly down to the hem of his shirt and lifting it, drag them along his spine, feeling each hard vertebrae against your fingertips. This time, he doesn't even hesitate before pulling his shirt up and over his head, and tosses it to the floor. You bring your hands around to his front and are slightly annoyed that you can't feel him fully against both of your palms. Making due with what you have, you trace your fingers over his abs, around to his ribs and up to his chest. You have a faint recollection of doing this here once before, but this time, you are completely sober and fully engrossed in the moment.

Taron's hands are wandering as well as they go to the hem of your shirt and lifting it up, he delicately traces your ribcage and stomach before moving north up your body. You hear yourself suck in a sharp breath as his fingers find your left breast and caress it lightly over your lacy bra. He then moves to your other breast and squeezes a little more firmly. The sensation of his lips on your mouth and hands on your body is overwhelmingly intoxicating, and you begin to move your hips against his to get some sort of relief. He pulls away from your mouth groaning and grinds his hips into yours in return which makes you gasp out loud. This seems to spur him on even further and he lifts your shirt and yanks it over your head, although being careful of your bandaged hand in doing so. Then his hands are all over you; your neck, your collarbone, your chest, and back down to your breasts. His lips follow after everywhere his hands have been. When his mouth closes over one lace-clad breast, you think you might lose your mind right here.

"Taron..." You moan out loudly. This catches his attention and he looks up at you with the most carnal look in his eyes.

"Yes love?" He asks in a low sultry voice.

"I need you..." You practically pant.

"I'm right here", he whispers, and returns his mouth to your body. Your fingers go to the button of his jeans once again and with a shaky hand, pry it open. You clumsily unzip the zipper with your good hand as the injured one grasps the top for leverage. Once you have his pants completely open, you shove your hand down the back of them to grasp one cheek firmly over his underwear. You are simultaneously squeezing with one hand as you struggle to push the stiff material of his jeans down with the other. Noticing your difficulty, Taron rolls to one side and onto his back. Keeping his eyes trained on yours, he swiftly pushes the jeans over his massive thighs and down over his calves and ankles. When the protesting article of clothing is finally tossed aside, he rolls back over to you and hooks his thumbs into the waistband of your yoga pants. Looking up at you one last time with the unspoken question looming in his eyes, you nod almost imperceptibly at him, letting him know he is good to proceed. He then slides the soft material effortlessly down and off your legs, his fingertips leaving a heated trail as he goes. You swallow hard as you look over him, clad only his underwear, and realize you are in the exact same state of undress. There is a flicker of uncertainty, but you assume that it's only because you've stopped long before this several times now. He rolls back over on top of you, parting your knees gently with his own, and settles himself between your legs, the only thing separating you being two layers of soft fabric. He places his hands on either side of your face and brushes your hair back as he gazes down at you. There is no mistaking his desire for you now. You see it in his lust-filled eyes, and you feel it pressed firmly against your most sensitive spot. The feeling is incredible.

Taron lets out a shaky breath as he says your name low and rough. You swallow again and stare dreamily up into his scorching eyes. He then moves his right hand down your shoulder to caress your arm and side before resting firmly on your hip. His left arm goes under the pillow at your head to support himself. His hand at your hip then dips down further to grasp the back of your thigh, lifting your leg to wrap it around his body, pressing himself harder against you. He caresses the length of your thigh down to your knee then drags his hand back up to rest securely on your backside. You feel his fingertips slip underneath the soft fabric of your underwear as he digs them gently into the sensitive flesh there. Your own hand travels back down to push under his boxers so that you can squeeze him firmly on his own rear end, urging his pelvis even further into yours. You both moan out with the pleasure of it, the only other noise in the room coming from the increasing sounds of your heavy breaths. The boxers are a much lighter material than the jeans so you are able to slip them easily down with both your hands, giving you full access to his ample cheeks. His head is buried in your neck; breathing, kissing, nipping and sucking lightly, all while doing things with his body that are slowly driving you into a frenzied state. His fingers tug at the thin string of your panties, pulling them slowly down so that he can have better access to the place where you want him most. He is inches away from touching you in a way that will probably send you over the edge as soon as he makes contact. You in turn move your hands around the front of his boxers so that you can push them down all the way, as his fingers graze your innermost thigh. You hesitate just a moment, holding your breath, anticipating that first touch, your own fingers poised over his waistband...when you hear a muffled yet unmistakeable sound of...what?... Knocking? Both of you freeze midair, not saying a word, presumably hoping the sound will just go away. After a few torturous seconds, you think it just might, then you hear it again. Louder this time, definitely a knock coming from the direction of the front door.

Taron lifts his head from your throat and growls, "Bloody hell".

You find his eyes in the darkness. "Was that knocking?" You whisper, knowing full well that it was. But he doesn't say anything, just tears his hands away from your body which makes you feel cold and empty as usual. Yanking up his underwear, he rolls over and practically leaps out of the bed, pulling his jeans on as soon as his feet hit the floor.

"What the hell time is it?" He finally says.

"I have no idea", you answer quietly, pulling the covers up tightly around your neck and scooting yourself up against the pillows.

Taron runs a hand through his tousled hair and giving you a sideways glance, mumbles something that sounds like, "I'll be right back". You don't respond. You just stare after him as he disappears though the bedroom doorway. You listen intently as you hear him open the front door, and then hear the distinct sound of two men's voices. You lean forward, straining to hear what's going on in the next room and you think the other voice sounds familiar. As quickly as the conversation started, it's over, and you hear Taron padding back into the bedroom. You only have a brief second to wonder if you will start back up where you left off because Taron returns to the bedroom holding a brown paper bag. You look at him strangely for a moment until he speaks. "Your meds, you left them in Richard's car." And now you feel like an idiot.

"Oh", you respond simply. "Oops. Guess I was a little out of it", you admit, realizing you had no idea you had even left them.

"Yeah, he wanted to make sure you had them if you needed them tonight", he says, sitting down on the bed next to you, leaving plenty of space between you. The mention of the pain medication has you suddenly aware that you are in a bit of discomfort, and you rest your hand in your lap while still holding the covers tight against your body with the other. You look down at it, not really knowing where else to look, so he looks down at it as well. "Do you need some now?" He asks quietly.

"Yes, probably", you respond just as quietly.

"Ok, I'll go get you some water", Taron says, getting up from the bed and pulling on his discarded shirt as he goes. You take that as a sign that the moment is definitely over and reach for your own clothes as well. After clumsily pulling your pants on, you realize that getting dressed is somewhat difficult with only one good hand, and you are still struggling with your shirt when he returns with a glass of water. "Need help?" He asks hesitantly. Feeling somewhat embarrassed, you brush him off indicating that you are capable, and finally get it pulled down over your arms. Taron lets out a heavy sigh as you down a couple of the pills. He gazes at you pointedly, looking as if he wants to say something, but then seems to think better of it. After a few more awkward seconds, he finally says, "Well, um, I think I'll go, uh, take a shower. Will you be ok?"

"Uh huh", you mutter, nodding your head. He gives you a nervous little smile, then rises from the bed to head off in the direction of the bathroom. So apparently you're not going to discuss what almost just happened. Alright then, you concede as you sink back down under the covers and lay on your back staring at the ceiling. What did just almost happen? Why are you having such difficulty with self control when you had agreed that taking it slow would be best? You know the answer without even thinking about it. Because it's Taron. Simple as that. And yet so complicated at the same time. You try and rest your eyes and relax your mind, hoping that the pain meds will help you drift peacefully into sleep as you listen to the sound of the water in the next room. A few minutes, maybe more, go by and you start to do just that when the mattress shifts and you feel an arm go around your waist. You peel your eyes open to look over at him, and see the familiar look of concern written all over his stunning face.

"Are you ok?" Taron whispers. You swallow and think of what to say. "Ok" is a pretty relative term. Yes you're alive and breathing, but are you "ok"? You're not really sure to be honest.

"Yes", you whisper back, deciding this answer is as good as any.

"Are you sure? Do you want to talk about...what just happened?" He asks reluctantly.

"You mean almost happened?" You clarify, and the corner of his mouth turns up.

"Yeah, I guess so", he agrees and you pause to think this over.

"I don't know Taron. I guess it's a good thing that Rich came when he did", you admit, knowing it's probably true. His face falls slightly.

"Yeah, I guess you're probably right. We did say we were going to take it slow...", he says, mimicking your own thoughts.

"Just bad timing?" You say, winking and raising up your injured hand as an indication. He takes it gently in his own and places a tender kiss against the un-bandaged part, which causes shivers to go up and down your spine. Geez, will you ever have a normal reaction to him? Intertwining his fingers with yours, he places both of your hands back down against your stomach, and then looks back up into your eyes.

"Agreed." There's a long pause and you're not sure if he's waiting for you to say something else. "Can I ask you something?" He finally asks tentatively and your body tenses. You admitted so many things to him earlier, you're wondering if he's going to bring any of them up now. As if reading your mind again, he says, "You said a lot of things before that I want to talk about, but not right now."

"Ok?" You say, confused as to what he wants to talk about. He sighs heavily and you wait impatiently for him to speak again.

"I want you to move in here", he says quickly, and seeing you start to immediately protest adds, "Just for a little while. Until you heal", he says looking down at your interlocked fingers.

"What? Move in...here? Taron, I...," you argue, but don't really have a valid argument to present. "I have my own place, and I'm going home soon...." Ahh, there's the all too familiar chest pain. You close your eyes and wince slightly against it. Luckily it isn't too bad this time, but you're starting to wonder if you should get it checked out. Noticing that your mind has drifted and you've stopped talking, Taron speaks up again.

"I know, but I would feel better if I could keep an eye on you while you're on this medication. You don't know what kind of reaction you're going to have. Plus, you might need help adjusting to being sort of one-handed", he says, searching your eyes for understanding. He does have valid points, but still, moving in here with him? It seems like... overkill.

"I don't know, it feels weird." He laughs at this but you don't get the joke.

"We just almost, well, you know. But moving in here temporarily while you're recovering from an injury seems weird?" He says chuckling at you, but you just stare over at him.

"Well yeah, kinda. I mean, what would the, um, sleeping arrangements be? Clearly we can't sleep in the same bed and continue to "take it slow", you say using finger quotes, but it's the truth. Taron smirks a little, looking slightly embarrassed.

"Well that's easy. You'll sleep in here and I'll be on the couch in the living room", he states matter-of-factly and you scrunch your eyebrows at him.

"I don't think that's a good idea. You need your rest just as much, well no, more than I do. You're the star in a major movie in case you forgot", you say, teasing.

"No, I didn't forget. And I'll be fine. Trust me", he says, but you still have your doubts.

"I don't know Taron. I still think it's a bad idea", you protest, but he is now running his hand through your hair which makes you almost forget why you are protesting.

"You know what?" He asks, and you just look at him in anticipation. "You worry too much. I'll be fine, if I look tired it'll just add to the haggard look of Elton's drugged out appearance", he says, winking and you can't help but smile a little. You start to argue again but he cuts you off. "Besides, didn't you say that the B&B is getting wedding guests soon?"

"Yeah...", you answer, not knowing exactly where he's going with this.

"Don't you think Julia might appreciate having the extra room?" He asks, and you have to admit, you hadn't thought about that.

"Well yeah, I guess so", you admit.

"There, it's settled then", he says triumphantly and you giggle at him.

"I haven't said yes yet. Can I sleep on it?" You ask, and he just stares at you for a moment.

"Of course you can", he says, tucking a strand of hair behind your ear and rubbing it slightly.

"Ok", you agree, growing suddenly very sleepy.

"I'll let you get some rest", he says, then scoots himself out of the bed and you are little sad at his leaving.

"Ok, goodnight Taron. Thank you", you say looking up at him. He smiles down at you and even in the dark, he is breathtaking.

"For what?" He says softly.

"For being you", you say, feeling a little foolish at the corny words coming out of your mouth.

"Ditto. Goodnight love." He then leans down over you and closes his eyes, looking like he's intending to kiss you. But he simply places a quick peck on the tip of your nose, then smiles once more as he starts to leave the room. Just as he reaches the doorway, he turns around and whispers, "Sweet dreams."

You wait for him to disappear beyond the doorframe, then whisper back, "Goodnight my love," as you stare at the empty doorway he just went out of. You then close your eyes once again, and pray for a dreamless sleep to overtake you, effectively ignoring the rising ache in your chest.


	30. With or Without You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You have some trouble on set.

It takes you a few dazed moments to realize where you are when you wake up the next morning. Once you realize you are in Taron's bed alone, you slowly start to recall the events from the previous day. Your mind is a bit fuzzy, but it's all coming back in a deluge of memories hitting you like a freight train. The "accident", the hospital, Taron's apartment, the nightmare, his bedroom, what almost happened between the two of you... You rub your eyes with one hand and lift the injured one to survey the damage. Still bandaged, still bruised, still aching; although not as bad as yesterday. You roll over and pop open the container of pills, and swallow a couple down with the remaining water from the night before. You prop up on one elbow looking around the deserted room and wonder if Taron is up yet. Only one way to find out. Throwing back the covers, you straighten your rumpled clothing and drag your tired body out of the bed. Padding softly into the living room, you look around and are slightly confused to find it empty. Maybe he's in the bathroom. Thinking of the facilities reminds your bladder that you need to use them, so you head in that direction. Finding it empty as well, you hurriedly do your business, wash up a little, then head back out to the the main living area. You are glancing around again as if Taron will appear out of thin air, when the you hear the lock at the front door and turn in that direction. Taron comes barreling through the door with a drink carrier holding two large coffees in one hand, and what looks like a couple of plastic grocery bags in the other. You smile involuntarily as his presence brightens the room immediately.

"Good morning!" He says when he notices you standing there and kicks the door closed with his foot.

"Good morning. Need help?" You offer, seeing him do a slight juggling act with his bounty.

"Nope, go sit down. You need to rest", he instructs.

"Taron I'm fine. It's just my hand, I'm not dying", you say as you approach him. He shoots you a quick annoyed look then heads toward the kitchen.

"Not funny, and I've got it", he says as he carefully sets everything down on the kitchen counter. You are curious as to what the bags contain so you lean against the counter and peer over at them.

"Whatcha got there?" You ask.

"Well, coffee...," he says handing one over to you which you graciously accept. "And, a toothbrush, toothpaste, body wash, a comb and deodorant!" He says as he pulls each item out of the bag looking very pleased with himself. You cock your eyebrow at him.

"Wait, did I agree to move in here in my sleep?" You tease.

"No...but I thought you might want to take a shower this morning and I know you guys like this girly stuff", he says attempting to explain his adorableness.

"Girly? Stuff? You mean toiletries?" You say, continuing to give him a hard time. You enjoy being like this with Taron. As if nothing strange and bizarre is going on outside your world beyond this little apartment. He looks at you like he's not sure what to say next, and you can't help but let a small smile escape your lips.

"Are you...teasing me?" He asks sarcastically.

"Maybe", you say with a coy smile and he pauses a moment before lunging at you from around the other side of the counter. You squeal and try to escape but he catches you up into his strong arms and pins you against the counter. His closeness takes you aback a little, even after what you've already been through together in his bed and various other places. Your smile disappears and you pull your arms free to wrap them around his shoulders as he nuzzles into your neck.

"Mmmmmm", he says in a muffled voice. "You smell so good...", he says, kissing you gently against your throat. You close your eyes and relax into him.

"Not likely, I could use that shower", you admit, suddenly aware that it's been over twenty four hours since you last had one. He sighs into you then reluctantly pulls away.

"Ok, go take your shower. I'll be there in a minute", he says with that wink of his and you roll your eyes.

"Very funny", you reply as you scoot around him to gather the supplies he bought for you.

"Hey", he calls after you. "What about that?" He asks, pointing toward your bandaged hand. "Can you get it wet?"

"Oh", you had completely forgotten that the doctor had instructed you not to get it wet for the first forty eight hours. "No, I can't. Shit, what am I supposed to do now?" Taron ponders this for a second.

"Just hang tight. I'll draw you a bath and you can just let it sorta hang over the side", he says, already moving toward the bathroom.

"What about my hair?" You ask and he turns back to you.

"Do you have to wash it?"

"Well yeah, eventually", you answer. You know you can just throw it up into a messy bun but it will need to be washed sooner or later. Taron's eyebrows pull together as he's working this problem out in his head. Then he snaps his fingers together.

"Just take a bath now and then tonight I'll wash your hair for you. Deal?" He asks, his eyes lighting up like a kid at Christmas. You're not sure how you feel about the idea of Taron washing your hair but what choice do you have really?

"Umm, ok. I guess that'll work", you agree half-heartedly.

"Great! It'll be like that time you washed my hair, remember?" He says with a little crooked grin and you smile at him.

"Yes Taron, I remember. But I won't be drunk."

"We'll see", he says winking again, and then bounds off to the bathroom. You just shake your head at him and follow him in. You watch as he turns the tap on and lets it run a few seconds before testing the temperature with his wrist. He's obviously done this before. The bathtub begins to fill then something else occurs to you.

"Wait, what am I going to put on afterwards? I don't have a change of clothes here", you say looking around the bathroom for something suitable you could possibly put on.

Taron's face lights as he says, "I thought of that too! Hold on", he exclaims as he springs back out the door and you think, what you wouldn't give for a fifth of his energy. He returns shortly after, swinging the other bag in his hands. "I got you this", he says handing you the bag. "It's nothing fancy, but should get you through the day until we can get back to the B&B for the rest of your clothes", he says presumptuously, but you let it slide. Peering into the bag, you see a pile of clothing including what looks like some plain black leggings, a sports tank and an oversized sweatshirt. At the bottom of the bag is a couple pairs of string bikini underwear. You pull them out trepidatiously and hold them up, cocking your eyebrow at him. "Yeah, I noticed you, um, wear those kind. Hope that's ok", he says turning his head to the floor and blushing slightly. You're pretty sure your face has turned a deep shade of pink as well, but you drop them back into the bag and smile anyway.

"Thank you Taron, for all of this", you say motioning around the small room.

"You're very welcome. I'll leave you alone, but before I do, have you thought anymore about...moving in here?" He asks tentatively. There it is.

"Yes, but I need a little more time to think about it, ok?" You ask looking up at him.

"Of course. Take as much time as you need", he says reassuringly.

"I'll let you know after my bath", you say, already knowing that you're probably going to say yes. He's been very kind to you after all, getting you all these things and being so attentive, even if it probably is a form of bribery. But what's the harm in letting him sweat it out a little longer?

"Great! I'll be here. I mean, I'll be in the flat", he clarifies.

"Ok, see you soon Taron", you say shutting the door behind him as he leaves. This is a very different situation from the last time you were in here and shut the door on him. The hazy memory of that night makes you shudder slightly. The two of you have been through so much in the short time that you've known each other, and it makes you excited and nervous for what the next few weeks will hold.

You carefully undress and step into the warm bath, the feeling relaxing you instantly as you soak down into the perfectly tepid water. After just enjoying the sensation of soaking for a few minutes, you begin to wash, which proves to be a bit of challenge with one hand. You almost wish Taron was in here to help you, although you suppose not much washing would get done at that point. That thought sends new shivers up and down your spine and you have to stop to concentrate on your task once again.

You think about what you're going to tell him once you're out of the bath. It does make sense to have someone around to help you while you recuperate, but is it a mistake waiting to happen? Staying with the man that you find more attractive than anyone you've ever met, and that you're supposed to be taking it slow with seems like a dumb idea. Although, you are both adults after all. You should be able to control yourselves. Right? Theoretically this seems logical, but you know when it comes to matters of physical desire mixed with the longing of the heart, that isn't always the case. Especially with Taron. In the end, you decide that you will do your best to be responsible and that maybe it won't be that difficult with him sleeping in the other room. Of course, you're not too happy about that either. Maybe he'll consider trading off every other night. You laugh at yourself when you realize there's no way he would ever consider that. He's too much of a gentleman...most of the time anyway.

Feeling satisfied with your decision, you step out of the bath and dry off with the clean towel Taron provided. After you are dry, you pull on the clothes that he bought you, re-wrap your hair into a bun, brush your teeth and apply deodorant. Feeling somewhat human again, you step out of the bathroom to find Taron leaning against the kitchen counter, sipping his coffee. He's got day old scruff, his favorite ballcap on and he's wearing drawstring pants and a hoodie. He looks fucking sexy as hell. This maybe harder than you thought. Pushing that thought away, you approach him to retrieve your own coffee and lean against the counter next to him. A few moments of silence pass between you, when finally he breaks it.

"So.....?" He asks, peering over at you.

"So.....", you answer back and he gives you an irritated look. You laugh and then follow it up with, "Yes, I'll move in here...," Then, holding up your hand as he starts toward you, "But only until I'm healed, which hopefully will be sooner rather than later", you say, but he's already wrapping his arms around you and lifting you off the ground.

"Yeah yeah, I know", he says as he spins you around and then plops you onto the counter top. The smooth marble is cool against your backside through the thin material of your leggings. You wrap your arms around his neck and pull him closer to you. "Ok, you're all squeaky clean. Can I kiss you now?" He asks with a sly smile. You don't answer, but simply pull his face to yours and press your lips against his. His hands go to your back and pressing firmly, kisses you deeper and more urgently. His fingers go lower to dig into your hips as his mouth goes to your neck, and the sensation of that stubble against your sensitive skin sends a fresh wave of desire through your body. Your head dips back exposing more of your throat to him, and your legs wrap around his waist. Taron groans deeply into your neck and the sound makes your eyes snap open, recalling what you had just told yourself only moments ago.

"Ok, but Taron, this is what I was afraid of", you gasp, and push lightly against his chest. He pulls back and rests his forehead against yours.

"I know, I'm sorry", he says with an exaggerated exhale. "It's just you. You have this affect on me", he says, still inches from your face.

"Don't be sorry. I'm just as much to blame, believe me. But if we're really going to take things slow, we have to try and be strong", you say, gently stroking his face.

"Ok, I can try if you can", he says releasing you and backing away. You smile at him and scoot yourself off the counter.

"I have faith in us, we can do it!" You say jokingly, trying to lighten the mood. He just looks at you, pursing his lips and shaking his head.

"No comment", he responds, running a hand over his face. "Well, I guess I better take a shave and get dressed for work", he exclaims, heading toward the bathroom.

"Ok, can we stop by the B&B on the way to the studio to grab my things?" You ask, and he turns back around to look at you with a perplexed look on his face.

"On the way...? You're not...coming to work today. Right?" He asks and you frown at him.

"Of course I am, why wouldn't I?" You ask, now being the one that's confused.

"Well because of your hand. I thought you'd take a few days off. Didn't you tell Lizzie? I'm sure they'll understand....", he trails off and your heart begins to pound.

"Why would I do that Taron? I'm fine. I still have use of my right hand", you say, feeling a bit defensive. Did he honestly think you would just skip out on work?

"Yeah, but I just thought you should take it easy", he says cautiously and you realize maybe you were a bit too harsh.

You sigh and soften your tone. "I can still work. I don't need to take it easy. I'll just have to...adapt, to using one hand. It'll be ok", you say, trying to convince yourself as much as him. He pauses a moment then crosses back over to you.

Putting his hands on your shoulders, he looks down into your eyes and says, "Ok, but if it gets to be too much, I want you to come home. Promise?" He asks, searching your face.

"I promise. But it won't come to that", you say. He scans your eyes for a few more seconds before releasing you and giving you a smile that seems to be a bit forced. After a quick kiss on the forehead, he retreats to the bathroom and you stand there wondering just how much of what you just said is true. You would never admit this to Taron, but you are concerned about how your injury will affect your work, but you try and put it out of your mind for now.

An hour later, after Taron has cleaned up and you've gathered your belongings from the B&B and explained to Julia that you'll be moving out for just awhile; you nervously approach the make-up trailer at the studio. It seems like forever since you were here last although it was only just yesterday. You don't know how you're going to face Olivia and are worried there might be some sort of confrontation. However, you quickly learn that she has been re-distributed elsewhere at the studio and you don't bother to ask where, you are simply relieved at not having to put up with her. As you are gathering supplies one-handed and wondering just how this is going to work, Bruce appears at the trailer door and announces that Lizzie wants to speak with you in her office. You swallow down the lump that has formed immediately in your throat, and give Taron a sideways glance. He smiles at you re-assuringly and you follow Bruce out of the trailer. He splits off down a different path as you make your way gingerly to her small trailer that also serves as her office. Knocking lightly on the door, you enter when you hear her muffled voice announce that you may do so. She peers over her glasses at you, then gives you a small smile.

"You wanted to see me?" You ask, feeling way more nervous than you should.

"Yes, yes. Sit please," she says, gesturing to a chair in front of her desk, so you do.

"So I heard about your injury. How are you?" She asks, eyeing your bandaged hand in your lap.

"Oh I'm fine, really. It barely hurts and the doctor said it should heal quickly", you answer. You know you are fudging the details a bit.

"Oh? That is good to hear. And how do you feel about continuing to work?" She asks.

"Great! I'm ready to get back to it", you say a little over-enthusiastically.

"Are you sure? I find as a make-up artist, I need both hands to work", she says grinning, and you can't tell if she's trying to make a joke or not.

"Well, I can still use it a little. I really I think it will be ok", you say, not sure you are convincing her. She eyes you warily.

"Tell you what, let's put you back with Richard", she says and you start to protest but she cuts you off. "Taron is going to be getting prosthetics soon and we have a special team for that so the timing is good, yes?" You're not sure if this requires an answer and if it did, it would be a resounding "no", but you keep your mouth shut. It really isn't your place to argue so you simply nod your head in agreement and force a smile. "Lovely!" She acknowledges, and you get the feeling you've been dismissed. You get up from the chair and thank her quietly before exiting the trailer. Once you are back outside, you rest your back against the trailer door and will the tears not to come. This is exactly what you were afraid of, not that you don't want to work with Rich, but the idea of being separated from Taron again makes your stomach turn. Well at least he won't be with Olivia, you can take solace in that. Sighing heavily, you square your shoulders and walk back to the make-up trailer, determined not to let this ruin anything.

Once you return, Taron notices immediately that something is wrong and approaches you at the door. "What did she say?" He asks, eyes trained on yours.

"I'm back with Rich, you're getting prosthetics", you reply blandly.

"Oh, well we knew that would be happening soon, right?" He says trying to console you.

"Yeah I guess", you say sadly. But you don't have time to feel sorry for yourself any longer because Richard comes barging through the door, and is buzzing all around you asking how you're doing. You give him the run-down and decide you might as well get to work.

Unfortunately, work does prove to be a bit more difficult than you had anticipated. It takes you almost twice as long to get Rich ready for the scene and you apologize profusely to him for taking so long. You hadn't really realized how much you depended on your left hand until you are without it. He of course is ever patient and kind, and tells you repeatedly not to apologize. You also can't help but notice that during the time you've been working on him, Lizzie has come in to do Taron's hair and make-up, with no prosthetics team in sight. To make matters worse, you're pretty sure she has been watching you out of the corner of her eye nearly the entire time. When the two men are finally done, Taron gives you a little wink and a smile before heading to costume, not exactly being able to show you affection here in the open. The small gesture still makes you feel a little better, but only marginally.

Richard is only filming a few quick scenes today so you are informed that you won't be needed for touch ups. So when everyone has left, you grab your bag and make your way to Taron's trailer, collapsing onto the bed, and finally allowing yourself to wallow in self-pity. You know you're probably over-reacting, but it still stings. This is not how you wanted to spend the last few weeks here on set. Chest pain again... Ignoring that, you dig around in your bag and find your pain pills, washing two down quickly with your water bottle. You then reach for your phone and turning it on, see more texts from Anthony. You are seriously considering blocking him at this point since you decided sometime between last night and today that you are no longer responding to him. Uninterested by anything on your phone, you fish out your earbuds and popping them into your ears, turn on your music, lay back on the pillow and close your eyes.

You must've fallen asleep because the next thing you know, you feel the bed move and know that Taron is there with you. You slowly open your eyes to see that he's wearing a robe so he must still be filming. He smiles over at you as you take one earbud out and offer it to him. He takes it without saying a word and slips it into his ear, then snuggles down to rest his head on your chest. He lets out a deep sigh as you bring your hand up to run it through his hair. He wraps his arm around your waist, and the two of you lay in silence listening to the soft beat of the music in your ears. After several songs play out, "With or Without You" by U2 comes on. It's one of your favorite songs and you hear Taron start to sing softly a few lines in.

"And I wait, without you"

He starts to caress your side through your tank top, slowly running his hand up and down your ribs. You close your eyes and let yourself indulge in the thrilling sensation it gives you.

"With or without you  
With or without you"

He lifts your tank at your hip to slip his fingers underneath, and you feel your skin break out immediately into goosebumps as his warm fingers dance over your skin.

"Through the storm we reach the shore  
You give it all but I want more  
And I'm waiting for you"

He moves his hand around to trace the smooth skin of your stomach, lifting your tank up just a bit higher. You suck in a breath at the feeling of your exposed skin to the air, mixed with the stimulating movements of his hand.

"With or without you  
With or without you  
I can't live  
With or without you"

You squirm a little at the intimacy of his touch. Where's he touching you is perfectly fine, but the way he's touching you is making you think things you really shouldn't be. He's exploring every inch of your abdomen and hips as if he's running his hand over something extremely delicate and valuable.

"And you give yourself away  
And you give yourself away  
And you give  
And you give  
And you give yourself away"

Finally, his head dips down to plant an electrifying kiss at your hip where his hand just was, and you wonder with heated excitement what's he planning to do next. At the same time, warning bells go off and you snap yourself out of your euphoria.

"Taron...," you say firmly, getting his attention.

He lifts his head slowly and pulls the earbud out, and you do the same.

"You ok?" He asks quietly, bringing his hand up to trace your jawline with his finger. You just nod your head. Being here with him like this, you are more "ok" than you've been in a long time. You wish you could just stay here forever with him and shut everything else out.

"Still filming?" You ask, distracting him and yourself from whatever was just happening.

"Yes, Rich is done for the day. I've got a few more scenes left. Do you want to wait or should I have someone take you home?" He asks, now curling a loose strand of your hair around his finger. You can't help but be pleased that "home" means his place.

"I'll stay. I like it here. It's quiet", you answer.

"Ok love, get some rest. Hand ok?" He asks.

"Yes", you respond simply. He then takes your hand carefully, and places a kiss on the tip of each finger. You want nothing more at this moment than to pull him on top of you and never let him go.

"Good. I shouldn't be too much longer. We'll grab some dinner when I'm done and then I want to talk to you about some of the things you said last night", he adds.

Shit. What exactly had you said last night? Everything from the day before now seems a bit jumbled. Well, you have until he's finished to figure it out.

"Ok", you stammer. He smiles then leans down to place a light kiss on your lips and you reach out to grasp the plush robe at his chest. You want more but you settle for what he offers. You're honestly not sure how much longer you can last without being with him completely, and you have no idea how you're going to manage living with him, especially knowing he'll be sleeping in the next room. Reluctantly, you let him go so that he can clamber off the bed, and watch as he saunters away from you and out of the trailer. Staring up the ceiling, you slap your hand over your forehead and whisper, "Fuck..."


	31. Keep It Professional

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You and Taron struggle to keep things professional on set.

Taron takes much longer to wrap up the scene than you thought he would, so you pass the time by napping a little more, calling your mom and catching up on things back home. You are just scrolling through Twitter when Taron finally returns, fully clothed and looking quite exhausted. You notice that his face looks a little pale and his eyes are bloodshot.

"Hey you", he says with a smile. "You ready?"

"Yep", you answer, climbing off the bed and gathering your things. "How'd it go?" You ask, as the two of you make your way out of the trailer and on to the parking lot.

"Good, we were in the water most of the day filming the pool scene", he responds with a sigh. You had read about the scene in question so you're somewhat familiar with what he's referring to.

"I bet that was different", you offer.

"Yes, I've done water scenes before, but this one was a little tricky", he admits. He then proceeds to tell you all about the difficulty he had at first with the depth of the pool, but then how it became easier after awhile. It's fascinating listening to him talk about the process and you know you will miss this when filming is over. Because it's so late, you decide to just go back to his apartment and get take-out, which is actually perfect. You wonder with the long day and him being so tired if he will even bring up the things you said to him last night. But in true Taron fashion, as soon as you're done eating your Chinese take-out, he turns to you and says, "Ok, about last night..."

"Yes?" You ask innocently, and he cocks an eyebrow at you. You are certain he's going to ask you about Anthony, and you have no idea what his reaction will be when he finds out he's been texting you daily since you returned from L.A.

"What is this about your chest hurting?" He asks, scrutinizing your face, and you are more than a little surprised. You hadn't planned on explaining this one, especially since you can't explain it to yourself. You haven't wanted to mention it out loud for fear of there being an actual medical problem, but you don't want to lie to him either.

"Well...it's not really that big a deal. I'm sure it's nothing...," you stall. "But I guess, my chest has kind of been hurting off and on since I got back here...," you stammer, and his lips press into a hard line. "Actually, it started when I was back home, but it's not too bad...most of the time", you add, then glance up into his eyes. You see anger there.

"Since you went home?? Why didn't you tell me before now?" He asks, looking like he's trying very hard to hold himself back from what he really wants to say.

"Like I said, I didn't think it was a big deal and that it would go away...eventually."

"Where does it hurt?" He asks, glancing down at your chest.

"Right here", you say, pressing your fingers to the hollow space between your breasts and rubbing slightly as you do when it flares up. He covers your hand with his own and presses it flat against your chest. He then looks back up into your eyes and now you see something different, sadness...and worry.

"Is it all the time?" He asks.

"No", you are quick to say. "Only sometimes..."

"Ok, when does it hurt? When you're doing something specific or...?" You think about this for a moment. It doesn't seem to hurt when you're doing anything in particular. Usually just thinking.

"No, it's pretty random. And it doesn't last too long", you add. The less he worries the better. He sighs heavily and swallows.

"I want you to start paying attention to when it hurts. Write it down if you need to. And I want you to tell me when it does." You nod your head in agreement. "And...if it continues past this week, I want you to go to the doctor." At this you roll your eyes.

"Uggh, Taron. I'm already seeing the doctor for my hand. I really think it's nothing. Probably just indigestion or something. I'll start paying better attention to when it happens, but try and not worry, ok?" You ask as you squeeze his hand and pull it away from your chest.

"Not possible. But I'll trust you to do the right thing, for now", he says, relaxing his face a bit and smiling slightly.

"Thank you." The last thing you want is for him to be worrying about you. He's got enough on his plate without stressing about you and your feeble problems. He seems satisfied for now, so you lean over and place a little peck on his stubbly cheek. He beams at you in return.

"Ok, shall we wash your hair now?" Your mouth turns down and you look at him confused. Is he really not going to ask you about Anthony? Maybe you shouldn't question it.

"Now? It's so late...," you say, rubbing at your eyes. You had a nap, but you know he's got be wiped.

"Yes! I've been looking forward to it all day!" He exclaims with renewed excitement.

"Ok, if you're sure you're up to it", you say, as he is already rising from his seat. You clear away the take-out trash as he makes his way to the bathroom to gather supplies. He returns a few moments later with shampoo and conditioner bottles and a towel, sets them down, then drags a stool over to the sink in the same way he did when he was the one being washed. You sit down, and your heart beats a little faster as he loosens your top not, discarding the hair elastic on the counter, and then runs his hands over your scalp and hair. He finger combs your tresses before instructing you to lie back, and you hear the water behind you turn on. Taron waits a few moments for the water to warm and you feel your breath quicken at the anticipation of his touch. Get a grip, he's only washing your hair, you think to yourself. He then wets your hair with the pull-out nozzle and once it's thoroughly soaked, turns the water off. Reaching for the shampoo bottle, he turns back to you and catches your eyes apparently staring at him.

"Relax", he instructs, obviously noticing your tense state. You bring your shoulders down away from your ears, and closing your eyes, try and do just that. The next thing you feel, are his fingers massaging your scalp and working their way down through your thick strands. The smell of tea tree and mint fills your nostrils and you take a deep breath, relaxing yourself even further. His hands and fingers are in a word, MAGIC, and you have to stop yourself from thinking what other magical things they could do. You shiver a little at that thought and let out a sigh. Noticing this, Taron asks, "Cold?"

"Mmmm mmm...," you practically purr and feel yourself flush. He continues his heavenly kneading and rubbing, until finally you hear the tap turn back on and he begins to rinse your hair. It takes awhile to get all the soap out, but you are thoroughly enjoying all the sensations his hands are creating so you could care less. Then, it's time for conditioner. He spends less time on your scalp, but slowly slides his fingers through your wet mane, concentrating mostly on the ends and rubbing the back of your neck in the process. After your hair is coated with conditioner, he turns on the water once more to rinse it free, ringing out the ends gently as he does so. The water turns off and you hear his voice low and dreamy.

"All done." You reluctantly open your eyes and peer up at him. He's smiling down at you with a look that seems to indicate he knows exactly what he's done to you. He grabs the towel and wrapping it around your head, helps you to a sitting position. He then kneels before you, resting his hands on your knees and looking up at you. "How was that?" He asks in a sultry voice. You clear your throat.

"G-great. I might just have to take you home with me to be my personal hair washer." Lord, what did you just say?? He raises an eyebrow at you.

"That good huh?" He says cracking his knuckles. "Well, I aim to please!"

"Successfully achieved", you say simply, and he just shakes his head.

"Ok love, I'm afraid I don't have a hair dryer", he says rising and you do the same.

"No worries, I'll air-dry."

"Shall I comb it out for you?" He asks, smiling sheepishly.

"No that's ok, I think I've had just about all I can take of your hands on me for one night," you respond, them immediately feel like smacking yourself. He chuckles a bit.

"Off to bed then?" He asks and you swallow, nodding your head. He then takes your hand and leads you to the bedroom. Once inside the doorway, he takes your face in his hands and leans in for a delicate kiss against your lips. You pull him toward you for an embrace, crushing him hard against your body. His arms wrap tightly around you as he whispers, "I'm glad you're here."

"Me too Taron", you say, pulling back to look at his face. "Goodnight." It's a simple word, but saying it to him always causes you a bit of sorrow.

"Goodnight love, see you in the morning", he responds, finally letting go of you and turning toward the door. You close the door quietly behind him, change quickly into your pj's that you brought from the B&B, towel dry your hair and retreat to the comfort of his bed where you sleep peacefully for the next eight hours. Maybe you're stronger than you thought after all. Maybe...

The next couple of weeks seem to fly by. The studio has somehow fallen behind and is now on an accelerated schedule, pulling twelve to fourteen hour days. The never-ending days have included the prosthetics team finally getting involved in Taron's make-up for the older Elton scenes, some location shooting and lots of extras to be worked on that have kept you extremely busy. Still no sign of Olivia which you are grateful for, and you are still able to be within viewing distance of Taron most days which keeps you content. The evenings are another story. You've been working so hard practically non-stop, that your hand is in excruciating pain every night by the time you get home. The pain pills take the edge off a little, but most nights you have to keep ice on it from the time you get home until the time you go to bed. You know that Taron is concerned, but he keeps his protesting to a minimum for the most part, apparently seeing it will do no good. You pass the time and try to get your mind off the pain by watching his movies with him. So far you've watched both Kingsman movies, Eddie the Eagle and a movie called Billionaire Boys Club where he speaks in an American accent. You were so intrigued by it, you had insisted he speak to you that way for the rest of the evening. It's been educational to say the least. There have also been a few close calls where you have gotten a little too amorous with each other, but mostly you both have been too tired and your hand has hurt too much to go very far. It's basically been work, eat, tv time, some cuddle time, bed...repeat. Luckily, your chest pain has been almost non-existent so you haven't brought it up with Taron and he hasn't asked.

One particular day on set, they are filming a scene with so many extras with such outlandish make-up and costumes; that you are feeling a bit overwhelmed. They are to be filming a scene in which Elton is at a nightclub with several club-goers dressed in bondage type clothing. Seeing so many people walk around on-set half-dressed and looking like they just stepped out of a porno movie has you a bit on edge. You feel very simple and small around these people, but you keep trying to remind yourself that they are just actors performing a scene. Once you've gotten your allotted extras ready, you find yourself a spot on set to watch since it's an open set and there are so many actors that might need touch ups. Once "action" is called, there is so much going on that you're not sure where to look. The lights are dim with an eerie red glow coming from somewhere, and there are scattered lights bouncing around the room from a giant disco ball hanging from the ceiling. Everywhere you look there are scantily clad gyrating bodies and as your eyes wander, you see a grand staircase that Taron has appeared at the top of. He is surrounded by more half-naked people that then begin to descend the stairs all together. After more dancing and gyrating, Taron is seated surrounded by people, then proceeds to partake in all sorts of activities including drinking, snorting cocaine and making out with a few men. Your eyes go wide as you take in everything you are seeing and hearing, and as much as you hate to admit it to yourself, you find yourself becoming a bit turned on. Seeing Taron like this, even though he's playing a part, makes your insides do strange things. Just the carnal look on his face is enough to destroy you where you stand, but you try and keep your cool. Suddenly, he pushes everyone away then rises to walk slowly toward the crowd of bodies in the center of the room. With a sensual look in his eyes, he removes his hat followed by his shirt, before turning his back to them and falling into them "crowd surfing" style. He is then carried over the sea of people, hundreds of hands grabbing and pushing him along as he stares with a dazed expression up at the ceiling. He finally reaches the end of the vast circle of bodies, Dex yells "cut!" and the hands gently lower him to his feet. People start to disperse and someone hurries over to Taron to hand him a robe. You let out the breath you were holding with a loud exhale and try to pretend that the scene you just watched didn't have such an effect on you.

Taron finds you in the crowd, smiles, then crosses over to you. When he reaches you, you notice that he he is a bit sweaty and slightly out of breath.

"Hey", he says as he cinches his robe and your eyes travel over his body. "Were you watching?" He asks.

"Umm, yeah. It was interesting...," you say as your eyes scan his exposed chest. You then drag your eyes slowly back up to his and his expression changes.

"You ok?" He asks, obviously noticing something in the way you're looking at him.

"Mmm hmm," you nod, inadvertently licking your lips. Maybe too many nights of being with him but not being with him are getting to you. He stares down at you for a moment and you see something change in his eyes. He presses his hand to your back and leans close to your ear.

"Come with me", he says in a gravelly voice as he guides you away from all the prying eyes. He leads you to a small room just off set that seems to be used as a supply closet of sorts. Glancing around to make sure no one is watching, he ushers you inside and closes the door behind you both. There doesn't seem to be a light in here, so his face is only illuminated by the reddish glow from the set beyond. Pressing himself close to your body and inching his face toward yours he says, "What is it? Tell me..."

"Nothing, it's just, seeing you like that, was...interesting", you gulp. A small smile pulls at the corner of his lips.

"Oh? Interesting how?" He asks, placing his hands at your waist.

"Just...interesting", you say, looking up into his heated gaze.

"Did you...like what you saw?" He asks hesitantly. You pause a moment before answering.

"Yes", you whisper, then give into your weakness and run your hands over his bare chest. You've been able to remove the bandage on your hand during the day leaving only the splint behind, so you have a little more control over it.

"Want to know a secret?" Taron asks as your hands go to the knot and easily untie it. You nod your head at him. "I was thinking about you...", he whispers, and that's enough to undo you all over again. You push his robe aside and pull him to you completely, running your hands up his damp torso to his neck and face. He pushes you against the back wall of the closet and cages you between his arms. He kisses you fiercely and without abandon and you moan into his mouth, imaging the scene you just witnessed. You push the robe off his shoulders and it falls to the floor in a heap. His hands go to your hips and lift you so that you are able to wrap your legs tightly around his waist. He grinds his hips into yours and once again, you can feel just how much he wants you. Somewhere in the back recesses of your mind, a voice is telling you that you are not going to have your first time with Taron here in this dingy supply closet. But your body is telling that little voice to shut up, and you kiss him harder and deeper still. You start to push his pants down at the back and slip your hands underneath the thin fabric. You break away from his mouth to catch your breath and then latch onto his salty neck, licking your way up to his ear. You hear him moan out loudly as your lips and tongue connect with his earlobe, and you continue to squeeze his backside forcing him into your sweet spot even harder. "Oh God...," he groans and you nearly lose it.

"Taron! You're needed on set!" You hear a voice bellow from beyond the tiny room. You pull away from his ear quickly and your heart stops. The only sound now is the panting coming from you both.

"Shit...," you mumble, and he slowly lowers you to your feet, but doesn't let go of you. You wait a few moments for your breathing to slow. "I'm sorry Taron," you apologize, feeling ashamed. He looks down at you, his appearance quite haggard at this point. His hair's a mess, his face is flushed and there's a slick sheen of sweat across his forehead. It's the first time in awhile you've seem him so visibly shaken.

"It's s'ok," he finally manages to croak out. He wipes a hand across his brow and shudders slightly.

"No it's not. I shouldn't have said anything. It's not...professional", you say, internally chastising yourself. At this, he finally cracks a smile.

"I believe there are two of us in here darling", he says with a grin and you smile sideways at him. "We'll just need to be more...careful from now on", he says, adjusting his pants and pulling his robe back on. You look away feeling more embarrassed than ever. "But in all honesty, I don't know how much more of this I can take", he says as he cinches his robe tightly.

"Yes, I know. You just need to stop being so damn sexy", you say with a smile and smooth his hair back.

"I'll work on that", he says gruffly. "I'll go out first, then you can go a bit after that." You nod your head, and he takes one last longing look at you before exiting the closet. You run your hand over your face trying to collect yourself, then make your exit as well.

The rest of the week on set goes relatively smoothly. They are able to finish up three big scenes to get them close to being back on track, and you are so busy that you have no time to think about much of anything other than work. Taron and you have kept true to your word to keep things professional on set, and you're feeling pretty good about the work you're doing with the extras. You'd still rather be with Taron and your hand continues to hurt, but you've found a way to work with it that's become pretty efficient, even if that is why it's probably hurting more.

At the end of the week, it's already time for you to see the doctor again about your fracture. They had called shortly after you returned from the hospital and you had reluctantly made the appointment. Now that it's time to check the progress, you can't help but feel nervous about the results. Taron insists on coming with you this time, which you had fully expected, so you don't give him any push-back about accompanying you.

Once you have arrived at the hospital and been taken to x-rays then led back to the small waiting room, you sit anxiously with Taron, waiting to hear the results about your healing. After what seems like forever, the doctor arrives with a grim expression on his face. He wastes no time in telling you what he's seen on your x-rays.

"To be honest, I had hoped you'd be further along in your healing by now", he states, peering over at you. "Have you been taking it easy? Plenty of rest, using it as little as possible?" He asks, and you see Taron give you a sideways glance out of the corner of your eye.

"Well...I have been using it a little...," you admit, and Taron clears his throat. You shoot him an annoyed look.

"Oh? How much are you using it?" He asks, sounding like a disappointed dad.

"Um, well a lot I guess. I work with my hands and we've been really busy at work," you say looking down at the floor.

"I see. I was under the impression you were not working", he says, and you look over at Taron who is watching you with a sympathetic look. "I strongly suggest that you stop working immediately," Dr. Cleveland says abruptly and your head snaps back to him. "If you don't want to create further irreparable damage, it's very important that you rest that hand. At least for a good period of time", he adds.

"How long?" You ask, the chest pain rearing its ugly head.

"Oh I'd say at least two weeks, minimum", he answers, and you feel a mild panic attack start to rise up within you.

"Two. Weeks?" You stutter.

"Yes m'am. Maybe longer, just depends on how well you take care of it. Do you understand the severity of this?" He asks, and you simply nod your head. "Ok, we'll get your prescription refilled and I'll see you back in a few weeks." You nod again, not looking him in the eyes and he leaves the room as quickly as he came. Taron stands, his hand outstretched toward you. You stand as well, but neglect to take his hand, or even look at him.

"You ok?" He asks.

"Let's just go," you snap, and walk out of the room with him following close behind you.

You don't say much on the ride back to his apartment, in fact you don't say anything at all. Taron respects this and doesn't say anything as well, realizing you must need your space at the moment. What are you going to do? You know you are an adult and can continue to work against the doctor's recommendation if you want, but is that smart? Could you really do that much damage by just continuing to put make-up on people? It's just a hand after all and there's not much time left, maybe it will be ok. You rest your head against the window, staring out at the trees and buildings flying past. You feel Taron's hand against your knee and you look down at it. Usually his touch makes you feel better, but this time it only makes things worse. He finally speaks up and you brace yourself for a lecture about not going back to work. But he surprises you once again.

"Did you see the schedule they sent this morning?" He asks, referring to the next few weeks on set that you had in fact skimmed in your email earlier today. You pull your head away from the window to look at him, and see gentle eyes staring back at you before they return to the road. You swallow around the lump in your throat that's been there since you left the hospital.

"Yes", you reply simply.

"Did you see that we get a couple days off?" He asks in anticipation.

"I did."

"Well, I was thinking we should go away for a few days. Get our minds off everything and just relax. Could be good for us...," he adds quietly. This intrigues you and pulls you out of your slump, but only slightly.

"Oh? Where would we go?" You ask, curious as to what he has in mind.

"I was thinking I'd take you home", he answers and you look at him confused.

"Home? To your apartment? But we go there every night", you say and he laughs.

"No silly. My home, Aberystwyth, where I'm from", he says glancing over at you quickly.

"Oh." You weren't expecting that and you're not sure how to react. You think about this for a moment. It would be nice, getting away. And it could be interesting to see another part of the country that you haven't seen yet. And you do have to admit, you are a bit curious to see where he's from. Maybe a few days of resting your hand would help and then you could get back to work, fresh and re-energized. Your mood brightening a little, you smile over at him. "Ok, why not?" You say, and he beams at you. He really does have the most heart-warming smile in the world.

"Great! I'll make the arrangements. You just worry about packing a few things. We'll make a little road trip out of it, it'll be fun!" He exclaims, and you can't help but smile at his enthusiasm. You settle back in your seat and rest your head against the headrest. A few days alone with Taron in his hometown actually sounds quite appealing, and who knows, maybe even a bit...interesting.


	32. Aberystwyth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You and Taron visit his hometown.

After packing a few things, you and Taron head out bright and early the next morning. You had a pretty good night's sleep, despite the bad news you'd received from the doctor the previous day. Large coffees-to-go, a full tank of gas and nothing but alone time with Taron in front of you has you feeling pretty carefree, and it's a feeling you haven't felt in awhile so life seems good at the moment. The drive to Aber is supposed to take about four hours, so you are settled in and ready to enjoy the scenic road trip. You had offered to share the driving responsibilities with him, to which he had adamantly opposed, insisting you need to rest your hand as much as possible. So here you are; relaxed, happy and excited for a quick getaway with Taron.

Unfortunately, about thirty minutes into the drive, he brings up a touchy subject and your mood changes swiftly.

"So...", he starts slowly. "I know you don't want to talk about this so I'm going to ask once and then I'll let it go", he says while keeping his eyes on the road.

"Ok...", you say, as you prepare yourself for whatever unpleasant topic he's about to bring up.

"Have you given any thought about what the doctor said?" He asks, finally glancing over at you. You sigh heavily and set your coffee cup into the cup holder. You had given it some thought actually, it's just probably not what he wants to hear.

"Yes, I have", you reply simply.

"And?" He asks.

"I think resting it during this trip will be really good for me. It's already hurting less and I think by the time we get back, I'll be fine to finish up the rest of the shoot", you say confidently.

"Hmmm", is his only reply before taking a long pause. "You don't think maybe, you should just take a break? I'm sure there's something else you can do on set-"

"No", you say a little too firmly. Then softening your tone, "I really think it will be ok. I made a commitment to finish this film and I'm going to stick with that", you say resolutely, and hoping he is satisfied.

"That's what I was afraid of", he mumbles under his breath, but not enough for you not to understand.

"What does that mean?" You ask, and his head snaps over to you.

"Nothing", he says, forcing a smile. We'll figure it out." He then turns his eyes back to the road, his lips in a hard line, eyebrows scrunched together; but he doesn't say anything else. You shrug your shoulders and consider the matter closed. True to his word, he doesn't mention it again, and the rest of the road trip is quite pleasant.

Taron has decided the take the southern, more scenic route, and there are so many fascinating things to see along the way. You make a quick stop at Highclere Castle which is really exciting since that's where one of your favorite tv shows was filmed. The rich history and beauty of the English countryside continues to amaze you at every turn, and driving over the bridge that spans the Bristol Channel is exhilarating to say the least. This is such a different world than what you're used to, it's easy to forget that such places really exist. You feel like you could spend months exploring these historic towns and national parks, but before you know it, you find yourself crossing over the hills into Aberystwyth, and you see Taron visibly relax as he returns to his beloved hometown. He has booked you into a Bed & Breakfast on the waterfront, but he suggests grabbing a bite first and having a picnic on the beach. You think this is a wonderful idea, especially since you're starving. It suddenly occurs to you that you have no idea what the room situation will be at the B&B. Has he booked two rooms for you both, or just one? You assume you'll find out soon enough.

After stopping at a local sandwich shop for sandwiches, chips and soda, you drive down to the parking area of the beach and gather your belongings. Taron has apparently thought of everything, and pulls a blanket out of the trunk of the car for you to spread out on. Then the two of you make your way down to the rocky seaside. After selecting a suitable area close to the water but not too close, he spreads out the blanket and you lay everything out on top. You sit down to enjoy your picnic lunch, as a light breeze blows your hair and the salty air fills your nostrils. This is in a word, perfection.

"Happy?" Taron asks as if reading your mind.

"Mmmm hmm", you respond, nodding your head and he smiles. "So where are we staying?" You ask, curious if he'll mention the room accommodations.

"It's this quaint little B&B that I stayed in with my family a few years back. It has a really nice restaurant and it's got a great view of the Channel", he answers, taking a sip of his drink. No mention of the rooms.

"Oh, does your family still live here?" You ask, suddenly aware that you can't remember what all he's said about his family.

"Yes, they do!" He says, his face brightening as he talks about them. "I was hoping you could meet them but they're actually on holiday themselves", he says, looking a little disappointed.

"Oh yes, that would've been nice", you say, but you're secretly relieved. You're not sure you're ready to meet Taron's family yet. You don't know why, but you find yourself a little worried about what they'd think of you.

"Next time...," he trails off and you feel the familiar tightness in your chest. Inadvertently, you put your fingers against the ache, rubbing gently. You catch Taron's eyes and see concern immediately cross over them, and you pull your hand away quickly. "Hurting again?" He asks, eyeing the area.

"Just a bit", you say as nonchalantly as possible.

"So what were you thinking just now to cause it to hurt?" He asks and your heart beats a little faster. What were you thinking? Relief from not meeting his family? No, that's not it. Sadness that there won't be a next time because you'll probably never meet them? And why is that? Because you're going home soon. And likely not going to see Taron again. Ouch, that pang was a big one. You bring your hand to your chest again, rubbing harder and Taron looks even more worried. He scoots closer to you and takes your hand. "What is it?" He whispers over the sound of the breaking waves beyond. You might as well tell him the truth.

"Well, I was thinking that I'll probably never meet your family because...I probably won't ever be back here...after the film is done", you say gulping around the lump in your throat.

"Oh", Taron says, looking down.

"Yeah", you reply, not knowing what else to say.

"So, is that always when it hurts? When you think about...leaving?" He asks, and you have to look away from the pain you see in his eyes.

"I hadn't thought much about it, but I guess so. I mean, it started when I was away from here. Away from you. Back in L.A." You say, now looking at the ground. Is this really what this is all about? The thought of leaving Taron is just too much to bear?

"Hmmm", he says. "So maybe, it's caused from stress, about going home", he says, and you can tell he's trying to simplify it.

"So, you're saying I'm just suffering from a broken heart?" You say half joking, half serious. You immediately feel foolish for saying those words and pull your hand from his, looking beyond his face toward the water.

"Hey", he says tilting your chin up with his fingers so that he can look into your eyes. "We'll figure this out, ok?"

"That's what you keep saying", you say with a half smile, attempting to lighten the mood.

"Well, I mean it!" He says with a grin, and you're glad the serious moment seems to have passed, for now. "Finished?" He asks, motioning toward your half eaten sandwich. Somewhere along the conversation you seem to have lost your appetite.

"Yes, thank you for lunch", you add and he smiles.

"Anytime love", he says. Together you pack up the trash and blanket, then head back to the car hand in hand.

The rest of the afternoon is spent walking lazily around the beachfront and surrounding areas. You stroll around the promenade, and explore the sights including an ancient castle and war memorial. Taron is an ever-studious tour guide every step of the way, even if he doesn't know exactly what he's talking about, and you love every minute of it. At sunset, you walk out to one of the piers, and watch the sun sink behind the water as Taron holds you, his chin resting on your shoulder from behind. It's been a perfect afternoon, minus the inconvenient chest pain, and wonderful start to your mini-vacation.

Afterwards, he drives you to the B&B where you find out upon checking in that he has in fact only booked one room with a queen sized bed. Well this should be interesting, you think. After getting settled into the room and unpacking your things, you slip into the ensuite bathroom to freshen up and change for dinner. Taron had mentioned that the B&B restaurant was on the "fancier" side, so you had packed your only remotely fancy outfit, a slinky sleeveless black dress that comes just above the knees. You don't have much jewelry to speak of, so you put in your small pearl earrings and apply a dash of natural make-up. You leave your hair down, but curl it slightly so that it falls in loose waves around your shoulders. Looking in the mirror one last time, you shrug your shoulders then exit the bathroom. Upon entering the bedroom, your eyes land on Taron who is standing at the floor length mirror, fastening his shirt cuffs. Your breath catches as he turns around and you can't help but stare stupidly at him. You've really only seen him in Elton attire or jeans and a t-shirt, so when he turns to reveal that he's dressed in a tailored navy suit with a white collared shirt open at the first few buttons, you are at a loss for words.

"Wow", he says, eyeing you up and down. "You look...amazing."

"Not too bad yourself sir", you respond in kind, knowing full well he looks way better than you do. He crosses the room to you and places his hands against your bare shoulders, his thumbs brushing your collar bones.

Looking down into your eyes he says, "Ready to go?" In a voice that sounds more like an invitation to foreplay than to dinner. You swallow hard and struggle to maintain eye contact with him.

"Yes", you croak, and clear your throat. "Let me just grab my sweater", you say as you pull away from him to retrieve it from the wardrobe. The two of you then make your way downstairs to the dining area and you are pleasantly surprised by what you see. It's an intimate little space with a few scattered round tables for two, spread with white linen tablecloths and elegant dinnerware. Taron speaks to the host, and then you are immediately seated at a table by the window with a great view of the water. "Wow, this is really beautiful Taron", you say glancing around.

"I'm glad you like it", he says with a nervous smile and you wonder what he's thinking. The waiter comes to bring you water and bread, and takes your drink orders. After he's left, you begin to peruse your menu when Taron stops you. "Hey, before we order, I have something for you", he says, still looking a bit anxious. You lay down your menu and look over at him, intrigued.

"Oh?" He smiles and pulls something out of his jacket pocket. It's small enough to fit in his hand and he reaches over to set it gently on the table in front of you. When he moves his hand away, you see a small velvet jewelry box sitting there and your heart stops. Your eyes flick up to his in question.

"Open it", he says. Trying to control the trembling in your hand, you reach out and lift the lid of the box. Inside, perched on white velvet lining, is a small oblong light orange stone set into a gold pendant attached to a delicate chain. Your breathing returns somewhat to normal as your eyes meet Taron's once again. He is beaming radiantly at you. "It's a Swarovski crystal from the orange jumpsuit costume. You know, the one I was wearing when we first met?" As if you could ever forget.

"Yes, I know. But, how...? Did you steal this?" You ask, as you trace the shining stone with your index finger.

"I wouldn't say steal. It came loose from the costume and I just...didn't return it. I had it set into a necklace... for you. I thought you'd like it...," he explains.

"I do! I do like it. It's beautiful. I just don't want you to get in trouble for me", you are quick to clarify.

"Eh, it'll be fine", he says with a wave of his hand. "It's not like I haven't taken things from a set before", he explains, and you cock your eyebrow at him. "Shall I put it on for you?" He asks, rising from the table. You quickly decide that maybe it's ok that he nicked a costume piece from the set, and that it probably won't be missed.

"Yes please," you answer with a smile. He pulls the chain from the box and then moves around to stand behind your chair. You lift your hair as he gently loops the chain around your neck and then fastens it at the back. Before you've had a chance to put your hair back down, he quickly brushes his lips against your bare shoulder and it sends shivers all the way down to your toes. You place your hand against the small stone, straightening it, as Taron returns to his chair and sits. "Thank you", you say warmly. "I love it." And you really mean it. For him to be so thoughtful to give you a gift that would always remind you of him and your time here makes your heart melt.

"You're welcome."

After a delicious dinner and delightful conversation that has nothing to do with work, you wander outside to sit on the B&B's porch; enjoying the moonlight, the fabulous view and just being with each other in the quiet peacefulness. After awhile, Taron asks if there's anything else you want to see tonight, but you're pretty tired from the day so you tell him no.

The two of you head back to your room, where he deposits his jacket over the back of a chair and you walk to the full length mirror to take a closer look at your necklace. The mirror sits adjacent to a window facing the water, so the only light illuminating the room is from the full moon bouncing off the dark sea beyond. You finger the stone at your throat and smile at the way it seems to sparkle even in the dimly lit room.

You feel his hands on you at the same moment you see his reflection in the mirror. Meeting his eyes, you smile as his hand moves your hair to one side so that he can brush his lips against the nape of your neck. His lips are warm and delicious, and you feel the familiar sensation of electric currents passing through your body. Tilting your head to one side to give him better access, he moves down to where your neck meets your shoulder and kisses there, then drags his mouth over to the strap of your dress. Sliding it slowly off your shoulder, he kisses where the fabric once was. His palm presses flat against your collarbone, as the other hand encircles your waist.

"Did I tell you how beautiful you look tonight?" Taron mumbles against your skin, finding your eyes again in the mirror.

"Yes", you breathe out, unable to form any other words. His mouth moves up to your ear and at the same time, you reach back to grab the back of his head, pulling his face closer. Turning your face toward his, you find his lips and kiss him gently, intensifying the kiss at a rapid pace. His other hand wraps around your waist so that he has you firmly pressed against him. Turning you around to face him, he gazes longingly down into your eyes and for once, you don't see conflict in his eyes. Eyeing your mouth, he tilts his head to one side and brings his lips back to yours. They are demanding, gentle and full of want. Your tongues mingle together and you enjoy the small moan that escapes his lips as you pull his head closer, tugging on the hairs at his neck. You feel his hands go to the zipper at the back of your dress, and pausing only slightly, tugs at it slowly until it's all the way down. You expect the warning bells in your head to go off as usual, but for some reason they don't. Instead, all you feel is a tingly sensation all over your body, a slight shakiness in your knees and the pounding of your heart. 

Taron tears his lips away from yours to plant kisses along your cheek and jaw as his hands explore your back beneath the dress. When he reaches your ear, you hear him whisper gruffly, "Tell me to stop", before pulling back slightly and searching your eyes.

You gaze up into breathtaking pools of green, even here in the moonlight, and answer simply, "No." His eyebrows pull together as he continues to stare down at you, and you decide in this moment that actions speak louder than words. Backing up just a bit, your fingers go to his shirt buttons, unbuttoning them slowly one by one and kissing him gently along his neck as you do. He moans slightly and the sound is like heaven to your ears. Once you've gotten the shirt unbuttoned all the way, you push it roughly off his shoulders and he shrugs out of it. His hands are still limp by his sides so you move to the button of his pants. Unhooking it easily, you move your mouth to his and kiss him fervently. He finally responds by returning your kiss eagerly, and taking over for you by unzipping his pants and sliding them down his legs. He shuffles quickly out of his shoes then kicks the pants to the side all while kissing you determinedly. His thumbs hook under the thin straps of your dress, and pulling them down your arms, pushes the clingy material off your body. The dress pools at your feet on the floor and you are left standing before him in only your underwear, but somehow you don't feel ashamed like you thought you would. All you feel is heated excitement, and that this is exactly where you are meant to be. 

Taron's eyes drag greedily over your body but you don't give him much time to stare. You back him up against the bed and he sits, then you climb on top of him to straddle his hips. His hands go to your back and easily unclasp your bra, flinging it to the floor. You are finally chest to chest, skin to skin with Taron, and you never imagined something so simple could be so good. Without warning, he lifts you abruptly to roll you over onto your back as you cling to him desperately. Settling his full weight on top of you, you feel as though you can't get close enough to him, and you wrap your legs and arms around him even tighter. His kiss is needy now, like he can't get enough of you either. You have to pull your mouth away to catch your breath and he dives into your neck, working his way down to the hollow of your throat. His mouth is like magic on your décolletage and breasts, and you feel yourself start to writhe and squirm beneath him. Looking up at you under heavy eyelids, he smiles then returns his mouth to your body. He works his way lower, over your ribcage, down to your abdomen then stops at the elastic of your panties. You hold your breath in anticipation, but he lifts his head and shifts his weight over to the side to reach for something next to the bed. Looking over at him confused, it becomes clear very quick when you see him retrieve a small shiny package from the night table. You don't bother wondering when he put that there, you're just glad he did.

Taron then rises up on his knees between your legs and you stare at him in awe and wonder. Never taking his eyes off yours, he slowly and seductively slips his boxers over his hips, past his thighs and then peels them off his ankles. And there he is, kneeling before you in all his magnificent glory, and you can't help but wonder what you did to be laying here in front of this stunning man. Your eyes travel hungrily all over his body, marveling at the beauty that is in front of you. Letting you enjoy your appraisal for just a moment, he then tears open the package with his teeth and slips it over his hard length. Waisting no time, his hands go to your panties, and pulls them down off your legs with one quick motion. Crawling over you stealthily, he settles himself back between your legs and you exhale loudly at the feeling of him pressed so firmly against you. Finally, the two of you are together with no boundaries between you. Propping himself up on his elbows, he presses his hands to the sides of your face and takes one long look at you. You think he's going to say something, but instead he just smiles and then kisses you all over your face. He kisses each eye gently, then each cheek, then the tip of your nose which makes you grin at his "special spot" for you. Then finally his lips connect with yours and the kiss is no longer desperate. It's loving and sweet, compassionate and slow and you wonder how much more of this you can take. But then the kiss builds again. His tongue dances with yours and his hands roam back over your body and down to your hips. 

Taron pulls his face away one last time to look at you, and all you see are his tender eyes as he finally pushes inside you. You try to maintain eye contact, but the sensation is so intense, you gasp out loud and squeeze your eyes shut. You hear him groan deeply at the same time, but he remains still for a moment, presumably gauging your reaction. Opening your eyes, you find him gazing at you, a slight look of concern there. Easing his mind, you smile sweetly at him and lower your hands to his buttocks, grasping firmly and urging him into you even further. The feeling is exquisite, and you focus on his eyes, determined not to look away. He exhales loudly, his breath washing over you as his eyes flutter closed. He starts to move within you, slow and steady at first, but then picking up speed until he's thrusting into you over and over again, each impact sweeter than the last. He buries his face in your neck and you grasp his head with one hand, the other still firmly on his backside forcing him harder and faster into you. The sensation is more delightful than you ever thought imagined and you don't want this moment with him to ever end.

Your emotions taking over with the overwhelming power of this man between your legs, you moan out loudly, "TARON..." Then you bite gently down onto his shoulder, unable to control your actions any longer. He moans your name in response, just as loud, and the sound is sweeter than any music you've ever heard. The sounds of your heavy panting coming from you both bounces off the walls, and as you feel your climax build, you bite down harder on his shoulder to keep from crying out.

"Ahhhhh", you hear him groan, and you don't know if it's from the bite or his pleasure, or maybe a little of both. He runs his hand down your thigh, bringing your leg higher, creating a whole new wondrous feeling within you.

"Taron, I...I", you pant, and then throw your head back onto the pillow not even knowing what you were trying to say. All cognitive thought has escaped you. It's only you and him now, here in this room, in this moment. His pace quickens even more and his breathing becomes even more labored, and you can tell that he's close as well. He pulls his head from your neck to look into your eyes again, and you want to hold his gaze as long as he holds yours. A look passes over his face that you can't quite discern and you bring your hands to him to cup his jaw. His eyes close but yours remain open, staring at him, taking in every feature, every nuance of his face. You need to see his eyes again. You need to see what they look like when he finally has his release. "Taron, look at me", you say firmly, and his eyes pop open. He doesn't say anything, but the look in his eyes is almost as if he's about to cry. His body stills, and then the two of you are just there. Connected as one, holding each other, in the most intimate way two people can share. And in that moment, you know that your life from this point on will never be the same. He smiles, then his eyebrows scrunch together, his eyes close again and he returns to his slow torturous hip movements. He escalates the pace almost immediately, gaining even more speed and intensity than before. 

Out of nowhere, you feel all your muscles contract and your climax overtakes you with surprise, crashing down on you over and over again, causing you to cry out his name. Taron's release follows shortly after with him panting and moaning into your neck, his stubble scraping violently against your sensitive skin but you don't care. You urge his hips into you harder and longer, as long as he possible can go, until he finally collapses in a heap on top of you.

It takes several minutes for your breathing to slow and you just lie there, unable to move from each others arms after the exertion. You are both thoroughly spent, but Taron finally rolls off you, discarding the condom as you look away. He wastes no time in pulling you back to him, laying on his back as you cuddle up next to him, your legs intertwined, your hand tangling in the soft hairs of his chest. After laying there silently for what seems like hours, you let out a long sigh and he finally speaks. "What are you thinking?" He whispers. You sigh again, and tell him exactly what's on your mind.

"I wasn't ready...," you whisper, and feel him tense.

"W-what do you mean?" He asks, and it occurs to you that maybe he's misunderstood so you attempt to clarify.

"I thought I had everything in my life pretty much figured out. But then I came here and I met you. I wasn't expecting you and now you've changed my whole life...forever. So, I wasn't ready."

"But for what, exactly?" He asks.

"For you."


	33. Forever

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Your weekend with Taron comes to an end.

You wake the next morning facing away from Taron toward the window, the sun streaming across your face, and with the most content feeling you've had in a long time. Maybe forever. In fact, everything is pretty close to perfect at the moment. Well, almost. There's the still the matter of the doctor's recommendation that you stop working and the slight constant ache in your hand. Looking down at your two fingers still bound together, you choose to ignore these facts for now, and instead roll over to curl up into Taron's warm body against his chest. Your movement causes him to stir, and you watch as his gorgeous eyes flutter open and the smile that spreads across his face when he sees you.

"Morning love", he whispers close to your face.

"Good morning, well if it still is morning", you say, noticing how the light cascading across the room seems to look more like late morning sun rather than early morning.

"Mmmm", is his only response as he pulls you tighter against him. "Sleep well?"

"Mmm hmmm", you answer, reaching up to plant a soft kiss against his lips. His arms wrap around your body and hold you in place, kissing you more firmly. You begin to melt into him and realize immediately that you are both still naked. Suddenly, your stomach growls embarrassingly loud and he pulls back to look at your face.

"Hungry?" He asks with a chuckle.

"Starving", you answer. In fact at this moment, you might be hungrier for food than you are for the man pressed so intimately against you.

"Well then, let's get you fed so that you will have plenty of energy", he says with a wink, and rolls away from you to climb out of the bed. Admiring the view, you pull the sheet up to your chin and prop up on one elbow.

"So what's the plan for today?" You ask as he throws on some baggy sweats and a t-shirt.

"I'd like to show you a few more things around Aber, if you're ok with that?"

"Of course, I love it here. I'd love to see more of where you grew up", you say with a smile.

He then leans down and kisses you on the tip of your nose, gazes at you for a second with a contemplative look on his face, then disappears into the bathroom while you get dressed yourself.

After a leisurely brunch in the room, since it is actually closer to lunch than breakfast, Taron takes you on a little mini tour around his hometown. He shows you the Aberystwyth Youth Arts Centre where he got his acting bug by portraying several parts in shows there. He takes you to his family home where they all still live, although they're not currently at home. You get a kick out of seeing his childhood bedroom and all the family photos of him in his youth. For lunch, he takes you to the cafe that his Aunt owns and he used to work at. It's an adorable little place and is made even more adorable by his movie posters she has placed all over the walls. During lunch, he has you rolling with his stories of how awful he was when he worked here back in the day by getting orders wrong and even burning food. You get the chance to meet his Aunt who is a lovely woman with nothing but charming and wonderful things to say about her nephew. All of which you already knew of course, but you still enjoy hearing it.

After lunch, the two of you take a simple leisurely stroll around town, hand in hand, chatting pleasantly. It's as if the chaos of your lives back at the studio doesn't even exist, and you're just two regular people enjoying a beautiful afternoon together. You could almost imagine staying here with him forever, almost.

Once back at the B&B, Taron announces that there's a different restaurant where he wants to take you to dinner. It's apparently not as fancy but the seafood is "to die for". You shower and dress in a simple sweater, jeans and boots. It's nice to be wearing something other than leggings, tank tops and sweatshirts for once. You haven't taken off the dainty orange-yellow necklace since he gave it to you, and you adjust it slightly on your neck before brushing out your hair and blow drying it straight.

Taron looks as amazing as ever in a white t-shirt, gray cashmere cardigan and dark pants. Upon exiting the bathroom, you find him sitting on the bed, looking down and ringing his hands together. You frown immediately.

"Everything ok?" You ask, concern filling your mind. His head pops up when he hears you and smiles right away.

"Yes, of course. You look...delicious", he says rising from the bed and crossing over to you. Wrapping his hands around your waist and pulling you close, he inhales deeply and hums his appreciation in your ear. "Mmmm, smell delicious too. Good enough to eat...", he mumbles into your neck before kissing you tenderly there. Your eyes flutter closed in response and you place your hands against his chest, tugging at the lapels of his sweater. Pulling him even closer to your body, you wrap your hands around his neck and grasp the back of his head, pulling his face to yours, kissing him deeply. He groans as his hands go to your backside and cupping your cheeks, tilts your pelvis into his. Thoughts of last night filling your head, you start to push the cardi off his shoulders, ready for round two. But he stops you by catching your wrists and pulling your hands down. You pull back to pout up at him and he laughs. "Dinner?" He says through slightly labored breaths.

"Do we have to go to dinner?" You purr. "You did say I was good enough to eat...", you say in your most seductive voice possible, as you trace the outline of his broad chest with your fingers. He exhales sharply and closes his eyes for a moment before opening them again and staring heatedly at you.

"As tempting as that sounds, I really do want to take you to dinner. There's something I want to talk to you about", he says, sounding a bit nervous. This gets your attention and snaps you out of your lustful thoughts.

"Oh really? What is it?" You ask, your curiosity getting the better of you.

"You'll see", he says with a half smile. Sighing and giving in, you let him lead you out of the room and on to the car outside. The restaurant is a short drive away, and you are pleasantly surprised to find that it's a cozy casual eatery with outdoor seating and a view of the harbor. It's a warm night so Taron and you decide to sit outside. You order appetizers and wine, then wait for the waiter to return to take your entree orders.

Not being able to stand it any longer, you finally ask, "Well, what is it you wanted to talk to me about?" You feel certain it will be a topic you won't care for, something to do with your health no doubt, so you'd like to get it over with as soon as possible so you can enjoy the rest of the evening. But as always, Taron surprises you.

"Ok, so you know I told you awhile back the film I did before this one was Robin Hood?" He asks.

You think back and do remember him mentioning the movie. "Yes, I remember", you answer, looking intently at him. Where is he going with this?

"Well, the New York premiere is next month, and I was hoping... you'd go with me?" He asks hesitantly. You have to process this information for a moment. Will Rocketman be done by then? And if so, will you be back in L.A? Would you meet him in New York? And what exactly do you do at a premiere? The whole thing seems a bit overwhelming and you need more information so you ask him all of the questions that were just floating through your head. He laughs a little at your usual over-thoughtful reaction. "Yes, I think filming will be done by then and you can either meet me there or...you can stay here and we'll go together", he says, looking over at you with trepidation on his face. When you say nothing, he continues. "Basically you just walk the red carpet whist they take pictures, watch the movie, then there's usually an after-party", he explains, making it all sound very blasé which you know it's not. But that's not the part you're focusing on at the moment. He wants you to stay after filming is done? Stay here in England? With him? The thought of that has your heart pounding, but you try and act cool.

"Well, it all sounds pretty glamourous. I'm not very glamorous", you admit, thinking you'd never fit in with that Hollywood Elite type. Sure you're from L.A, but to you, it's always been just an address only.

At this, he rolls his eyes. "Oh please, that's ridiculous", he says, his eyes pleading with you to say yes. You're still not sure about the logistics, but you know you can't say no to him. And you don't really want to.

After pausing a few more seconds, you hear yourself say, "Ok sure."

"Really? You'll go? I thought I'd have to spend hours convincing you!" He exclaims exuberantly, and you laugh at him.

"Yes, I'll go. I'm not sure how it will all work, but I guess we'll figure it out", you say, quoting his owns words back to him, and giving him a little smile. He reaches across the table to cover your hand with his own and squeezes gently.

"Thank you. This means the world to me", he says, beaming. You don't know how such a thing could make him so happy but you're glad it has. The waiter returns at this moment to take your orders so Taron removes his hand and looks down at his menu. Now that his eyes aren't on you, you press your fingers to your chest to ease the tightness that's formed there. You know you're going to have to seriously start preparing yourself for how the ending of this job is going to affect your life. Now that Taron has suggested you stay here until the premiere, that just puts a whole new spin on everything. What does he mean exactly by that? What does it mean for you? You glance up to see that the waiter and Taron are looking at you to place your order, so you lower your hand quickly, order your meal and leave those questions for another time.

After another tasty dinner and a bottle of wine later, mostly drank by Taron since you only had one glass, you decide to walk down to the waterfront where there are some scattered benches. Sitting side by side, his arm perched snugly around your shoulder, your hand in his, you gaze out at the moonlit water together in silence. You can't help but wonder what he has in mind for your future. If he wants you to attend a movie premiere with him that is happening in a month when you will presumably no longer be in contact, you have to wonder what his intentions are. You just might ask if you didn't think maybe he'd had a bit too much to drink at dinner. His step was a little off on your way down here and you can smell the sweet aroma of the wine on his breath. You decide it's probably time to save that conversation for later and head back.

"Should we head back?" You ask, looking over at him.

"Mmmm, yeah. I'm rrready", he slurs, and you can definitely tell he's a bit sloshed. The two of you stand, and he has to steady himself on your shoulders as his head sways to the side a little.

"Well, looks like I'm driving", you announce. "Keys?" You ask, holding out your palm.

"I'm soooooory", he whines. "I don't want you to hhhhave to drrive", he says, struggling to pull the keys from his pocket.

"Here, let me", you offer, shoving your hand down into his pocket to retrieve the keys. He just smiles down at you lazily and you lead him to the car.

Driving on the "wrong" side of the road proves to be a bit of a challenge, especially in the dark, but you manage it ok. It helps that the B&B isn't too far away. Once you've got your bearings, you look over at Taron to see him smiling over at you, his head slumped against the head-rest, his eyes half closed. You smile back then focus on the road in front of you.

"Heyyy", he mumbles, and you glance back over at him. "Stayyy with me, pleasssse", he says, his eyebrows pulled together in concentration.

"I am staying with you silly. We're in the same room together, remember?" You say, chuckling a little. He squeezes his eyes closed and looks frustrated.

"No...I mean, stay withhh me. After the fffilm is done. Foreverrr....," he slurs, before slumping against the door. Your eyes go wide as you look at him in shock and then back to the road. He seems to be out now so you don't respond. What did he just say? He didn't mean...forever. Of course not, that's ridiculous. He's just drunk. Right? You don't have time to ponder that any longer because you are pulling into the lot of the B&B, and now you have to figure out how to get him out of the car and up to your room. Luckily, he seems to come to when you close your car door, and he half helps you drag him inside and up to the room. Depositing him onto the bed in a heap, you pull of his shoes and cardigan, and look down at him shaking your head. What are you going to do with him? Oh well, no round two apparently. You are pretty tired yourself, so you kick of your own shoes and climb onto the bed next to him, not bothering to undress. Before you know it, you are fast asleep as well.

Sometime later, you are awoken in the middle of the night, by what you're unsure. You are a bit disoriented at first, being in a strange room in a strange bed, fully clothed. But looking over at Taron, you quickly remember the night's events and where you are. The moon has risen high in the sky and the light that's cast into the room falls perfectly over his face, illuminating his features in a way that makes him even more flawless. You reach over and touch his cheek lightly to see if the movement will wake him. He doesn't budge, so you explore further. You run your fingers over his brow, smoothing out the slight line that's formed there as he dreams. You then trace his cheekbones, letting your fingers trail over his scratchy jaw and loving the rough feeling under your fingertips. Then, you outline his perfect cupid's bow and down to his parted lips, where his little puffs of breath make your fingers tingle. His lips are slightly stained from the wine, and they are too much for you to resist. You prop up on one arm and scoot carefully closer to him. Leaning down, you gently brush your lips against his then kiss him sweetly, tasting the faint traces of wine. This finally causes him to stir and you watch as his eyelids slowly open to find you mere inches from his face.

Maintaining eye contact with him for just a moment, you lean back down to kiss his lovely lips again. He returns the kiss, slowly at first, then building as he brings his hand up to grasp the back of your head. You move away from his lips to kiss his jawline, his ear, then down to his neck. He moans slightly, and you hope that maybe he's somewhat sobered up by now. Dragging your lips down his throat to his collarbone, you tug his t-shirt down at the neck so that you can kiss further down his chest. Taron's breathing accelerates and you notice that his chest is rising more rapidly now. Your hand wanders down to the hem of his shirt, and lifting it, you push it up his torso as he grabs it and pulls it roughly over his head. He reaches for you but you immediately go back to your onslaught of kisses to his chest, working your way down across his ribs and stomach. His skin is hot, his breathing becomes ragged and you feel a fire inside you that drives you further. As you reach the waistband of his pants, you slip your tongue just underneath it and hear a satisfying groan come from his mouth as his hips begin to rise up from the bed.

You pull back from him to yank your sweater over your head, then begin to hastily unbutton and remove your pants and underwear as he does the same, never taking your eyes off each other. Taron reaches for you again but you quickly climb on top of him, sitting astride him and gazing down at him, your palms planted firmly against his chest. He runs his hands up your thighs and grasps your hips, pulling you flush against him. Feeling him pressed against you so hard, makes you tilt your head back and close your eyes with the pleasure of it. You feel his hands leave you, so you open your eyes to see him reaching over to the night table. You stop him by grasping his wrist with your fingers and his head snaps back to you, confusion on his face. You say nothing, simply shake your head back and forth slowly, staring into his eyes. His eyebrows remained scrunched together and you see the pull of his throat as he comprehends what you're saying. He finally brings his hands back to your body, and you release his wrist as his face relaxes. He lifts one hand to place it against your chest, the heel of his hand in the dip between your breasts, his thumb and fingers creating a "V" around the necklace at your throat. You cover his hand with your own, and gazing longingly into his eyes, slowly lower yourself onto him. He fills you so completely, so perfectly; it's the sweetest thing you've ever known in your entire life. And as you make love to Taron here in the moonlight, you wonder why you ever waited so long, and how you are ever going to be able to walk away from him.

The next morning, you pack quickly and head out soon after waking. You both want to have some downtime before starting back up to work tomorrow. Taron has been quiet all morning and whenever you ask him if he's ok, he always just smiles and says yes, so you assume maybe he's just a bit hungover. After offering to drive again and him turning you down again, you are off and on your way back to the London area. It's been a magical weekend and you are so glad you agreed to go and that Taron suggested it. It really does seem like it was just what both of you needed to rest and re-charge, before hitting it hard at the studio to get the filmed wrapped in the next few weeks. The getaway also provided a few other interesting and surprising turn of events, not the least of which is the beautiful necklace resting against your throat that you suddenly realize probably shouldn't be seen by anyone at work. All in all, it's been nothing short of blissful. And although your hand is still a little achy, you feel like the rest did you good and that you should be fine to return to work until the end of filming.

After a quick bite of breakfast on the road, you make a few more stops along the way to catch some of the sights you missed on the way to Aber. Taron is still quiet, but he gives you a little smile every now and then so you don't put too much thought into it. Life really does seem pretty close to perfect, you think as you drive along the countryside that turns more urban with every passing mile. You've just spent a glorious weekend with Taron in his hometown, you got to experience some places you'd never have the chance to see otherwise, and you're excited about the next few weeks and beyond now that he's invited you to the Robin Hood premiere. Anthony hasn't tried to contact you since you stopped responding to him, so you're not even really worried about him and Lisa anymore. And Olivia has been MIA since the "incident", which has been such a huge relief. Sighing contentedly, you look over at Taron and take his hand that's resting on the console. He looks over at you and smiles but it doesn't reach his eyes.

"You sure you're ok?" You ask once again.

"Yep, just a little tired I guess. Will be nice to sleep in my own bed tonight", he says, then whips his head over to you again. "If that's alright? I mean, I assumed it would be ok...if...", he trails off and you laugh at him a little.

"Yes Taron, you are welcome to sleep in your own bed...with me", you say, and give him a little wink. He smiles in apparent relief. Is that what his mood has been about today? He's worried about the sleeping arrangements? Silly boy...

An hour or so later, you finally see familiar surroundings as you turn into the street that will take you into the neighborhood that holds Julia's B&B. You had asked Taron earlier today if you could stop by there to grab a few more of your things before heading back to his apartment, and he of course had happily obliged. Once he's pulled into the driveway and turned off the car, he turns in his seat to look over at you. He takes your hands carefully in his and you see a strange look pass over his face.

"I just wanted you to know that I had such a lovely time this weekend with you", he says, and you smile at him. "It really meant a lot to me. So much more than I think you could ever imagine. Thank you." You wait to see if he's finished, then reach up to touch his face gently.

"Thank you, Taron. It meant a lot to me too. It meant...everything", you say, hoping he understands just how happy being with him has made you. And not just this weekend, but since the first day you met him. He covers your hand with his own and closes his eyes for a moment. Then, taking your hand, he presses his lips to the back of it and it sends shivers throughout your body, as if it was the first time. He releases you and sighs, then you both exit the car. "Oh, can you grab my bag from the trunk so I can throw some things in there?" You ask as an afterthought.

"Of course", he replies, then retrieves the bag and follows you into the B&B. You're not sure if the wedding party has been here already or not, so you peak around the front door just in case there's something going on that you wouldn't want to barge in on. Finding the front room empty, you open the door all the way and immediately remember the welcoming feel as you enter the small house. Taron follows you in and you look around the space, wondering where Julia might be. You leave Taron in the living area, and find her in the kitchen, washing dishes as usual. She turns and beams at you when she sees you standing there. You cross over to the older woman and give her a tight squeeze, then ask her how she's doing and listen cheerfully as she tells you all about the wedding party that did in fact just depart the day before. She explains that your room is empty and waiting for you whenever you'd like to return. You smile and thank her politely, although knowing in your mind that you will most likely be staying with Taron until filming is complete. You explain to her that you're here to get a few more of your belongings so she smiles and waves you away.

"Oh, one more thing dear", Julia says as you are turning to leave the kitchen. "This came for you the other day", she says, pulling an envelope out of a little cubby on the kitchen countertop and handing it over to you.

"Oh, thank you", you say, as she shuffles past you out of the kitchen. You follow her out slowly, opening the letter as you do. It hasn't been too uncommon for you to receive a letter here and there at the B&B, mostly official type documents having to do with your temporary employment and compensation at the studio, so you're not surprised to see that the letter you pull out of the envelope is from them. You see that Julia has now disappeared around the corner to her room, after saying a quick greeting to Taron who is standing at a bookshelf looking at a book. Unfolding the letter, you stop in front of the sofa to quickly scan it. When you reach the bottom, your eyes go back to the top to read it a little more slowly, more carefully this time. Once you reach the bottom again, your heart is pounding, all your nerve endings are firing and you feel your body break out into a cold sweat. You look up from the letter to stare across the room in a daze. Taron apparently has noticed because you are vaguely aware of the sound of the book closing and him walking over to you.

You jump slightly when you hear his voice right next to you ask, "What is it?" You slowly glance over at him to see one of the most terrified looks on his face that you've ever seen. His face must match what's on yours because why else would he look that way. You look vacantly back down at the letter in your trembling hands, then out into the space in front of you, not focusing on anything in particular. "What?" Taron asks in a shaky whisper as he gently grabs your elbow. You try to form speech around the huge lump that is now lodged in your throat, and when you finally do, all that comes out are three faint little words.

"I've been fired..."


	34. Goodbye

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You and Taron have a difficult conversation.

"What?" You hear Taron repeat as he practically rips the letter out of your hand. You slowly sink down to the couch behind you, still in a daze but vaguely aware that Taron is reading the letter out loud. He mumbles some of it, other parts he reads clearly, but it all sounds as if his voice is coming from inside a cave, very far away. Even though you know exactly what the letter says at this point, you listen anyway, hoping that maybe you misunderstood something and that hearing it out loud will somehow sound different.

"We regret to inform you that after careful consideration and based on your doctor's recommendation, we have made the difficult decision to terminate your employment effective immediately. We understand that your injury was through no fault of your own, however, the safety and protection of our staff and crew must be our number one priority. We cannot in good conscience keep you on staff which could possibly endanger you further. We appreciate the outstanding work you have done, and will of course compensate you accordingly for the remaining time left of filming. We are also happy to absorb the cost of any medical bills that you may incur due to this injury. We are sorry for any inconvenience that this may cause you, but for liability reasons we feel this is the best course of action. We wish you the best in your future endeavors and will be happy to provide positive references for any future job opportunities."

He mumbles the valediction at the end of the letter and you look up at him to find him scanning the letter a second time, much like you did. Even with him reading it out loud, it still sounds the same as it did in your head. You've been fired, or "terminated" as the letter so eloquently stated. You can't even begin to comprehend what in the world is happening right now so you just bury your head in your hands, your elbows propped up on your knees.

"I don't understand," you finally hear Taron say. "Why would they do this? It doesn't make sense..." You look back up at him to find him staring at you like you will somehow have the answer. Suddenly, a searing pain goes through your chest and you can't hold back the audible gasp that escapes from your mouth. Clutching your chest with your hand, you stand abruptly, feeling the need to escape.

"I need some air", you choke out as you bolt toward the door with Taron close on your heels. Wrenching open the door, you only make it to the porch before you have to stop and steady yourself by placing your palms against your thighs, your head hanging low. You feel Taron's hand against your back immediately.

"Are you ok?" He asks as he rubs slow circles against your back. You take in a couple of deep breaths, letting them out slowly, then rise up slowly to face him.

"No, I'm not fucking ok. I just got fired and I have no idea why! I was doing fine before we left! I don't understand. Could Olivia had said something?" You are desperately trying to make sense of this whole thing, searching Taron's eyes as if he will know what to do. He's staring back at you wide-eyed the whole time, but he says nothing. He has the strangest look on his face though. It's like panic mixed with sadness and fear.

"I don't know what they were thinking," he finally blurts out. "I just thought they would move you somewhere else on set so that you could finish...", he stops suddenly, realizing what he's apparently just said. You take a step back from him and pause, trying to comprehend his words.

"Wait...what?" You ask, seriously confused by what he just said. He swallows hard then looks at you with a look of what? Guilt? You slowly begin to put the pieces together, dread filling your mind. "Taron", you say apprehensively. "How did they know what the doctor said?" You ask, but he says nothing. "Taron, tell me you didn't have anything to do with this?" At first your voice is firm, maybe even a bit accusatory. But then, something else washes over you, a desperation to confirm that he couldn't have had had anything to do with this. You walk back toward him, grabbing at his shirt collar. "Please, tell me you didn't have something to do with this...please", you whisper, pleading up into his terrified eyes.

"I'm sorry", he whispers back, and immediately the tears that you were trying to hold in start to spill down your cheeks. You back away from him instantly, dropping your hands and staring at him in shock.

"What did you do?" You ask, your voice shaking uncontrollably. He hangs his head for a moment and you continue to stare wildly at him. "TARON", you say louder and his head pops up. "What. Did. You. Do?" You say through gritted teeth, your heart practically pounding out of your chest.

He swallows and blinks a few times, looking at you with sorrow in his eyes before speaking. When he finally does, his voice comes out as a strangled murmur, as if he's trying to hold back his own tears. "I called Lizzie. About your doctor visit." You must be looking at him like he's a psychopath because he looks truly frightened.

"You. What?" You choke out.

"I called Lizzie," he repeats. "I was worried about you so I asked her if there was something else you could do on set. Something where you wouldn't have to use your hand as much", he says, panic filling his voice. You find it unbearable to look at him at the moment, so you turn around and collapse onto the porch steps, burying your tear-streaked face in your hands.

"I can't believe this is happening", you mumble through your fingers. A few seconds pass, then you feel Taron's arms around your shoulders but you shrink away from him. "Please don't touch me right now", you whisper through barely controlled outrage. You stand again and walk away from him. The person you've trusted the most over the past few months has betrayed you, again, and you don't know how to cope with that.

His voice comes low and steady from behind your back. "Look, I know you're upset and you have every right to be, but you have to know that I did this to-"

"I swear to God if you say to protect me", you say whipping around to face him again, and he stares back at you in anguish.

"Yes, to protect you", he says a little more firmly. "Clearly you aren't willing to protect yourself, so I had to do something. I wasn't just going to sit back and watch you harm yourself further so I had to step in."

"No!" You say a little too loudly. "No Taron, you didn't HAVE to do anything. You had a choice, and you chose to interfere in my life, again! You knew how much this job meant to me, but you went behind my back anyway to make a choice for me that you had no right to!" You are seething now, fresh tears flowing down your face. You don't even bother to wipe them away at this point. You want him to see just how much he's hurt you.

"I don't know what else to say except I'm sorry. What can I do?" He asks, begging you with his eyes to grant him any kind of atonement.

"You've done enough", you answer coldly. His face goes blank, then changes swiftly to a look of hopefulness.

"We'll fix it. I'll fix it. We'll go talk to Lizzie, right now. We'll just tell her I made a mistake. I bet it'll be fine, come on", he says walking past you to the car, expecting you to follow. When you don't, he stops and quickly turns around to face you. "Are you coming?" He asks quietly. Something comes over you at this moment. It's like all your emotions are suddenly turned off and you just go intensely numb. You know what you need to do. Maybe you've known it all along but have just been to scared to admit it.

"No Taron. I'm not coming." He looks at you with confusion etched on his face.

"Why not?" He asks hesitantly.

"Maybe this happened for a reason", you state stoically.

"What do you mean?" He asks softly, fear filling his features again.

Sighing heavily, you finally say what you've been the most afraid of all along. "It's time for me to go home Taron. Maybe I should've gone home a long time ago. Maybe I should've just stayed in L.A. when I went back."

"What? No, that makes no sense. You don't have to go home yet. Please just let me fix this..."

"There's nothing to fix. What's done is done. I stayed here for a job and now that job is over. There's no reason for me to stay anymore", you explain matter-of-factly. He takes a step toward you, gauges your reaction, then steps even closer, placing his hands on your shoulders. Exhaling heavily and gazing down at you, he looks as though he's worried about whatever he's going to say next.

"But, what about...us? What about this weekend? What about the premiere?" He asks in desperation, and as mad as you are, you still feel for him, but not enough to sugar-coat anything.

"None of that matters anymore", you say, knowing you are hurting him but you can't help the words that are coming out of your mouth. He swallows hard and the space between his brows scrunches together. He closes and opens his eyes slowly, taking in a deep breath as he does.

"What about the fact that I'm in love with you...does that matter?" He asks, and your heart shatters. You pull away from him, unable to look into his eyes any longer.

"Taron, please don't say that to me", you say, turning around again. "I can't...I can't...I can't..." you murmur. You feel his hands go to your shoulders and he leans close to your ear.

"But it's the truth, I'm in love with you", he says softly, and more tears begin to fall but you wipe them away quickly. You spin around to face him, knowing that if he stays here one second longer, you will cave.

"I need you to go", you whisper, looking up at him through vision blurred with tears.

"What?" He chokes out, as tears fill his eyes.

"Please, I just need you to go now. I need to think..."

"You said you'd never push me away again", he whispers, the tears slowly rolling down his cheeks, one by one.

"You said you wouldn't hurt me again", you reply quietly. You see the agony pass over his eyes as he takes a step back from you, before wiping his face and clearing his throat.

"Ok I'll go, for now. I'll let you think. Sleep on it. Do whatever you need to do then I'll call you tomorrow and we can talk then", he says, hopeful, and it kills you inside.

"No, Taron. Please don't. I promise I won't leave before talking to you, but please just give me time."

"Ok...but please, please do talk to me before doing anything drastic", he begs as he grasps your hands. It takes everything in you not to grab him and kiss him and tell him it will all be ok, but you simply nod your head, and watch as he gives you a sad smile before turning to walk away from you, one last time.

Two days later, you are packing up the remainder of your things in your duffle bag and suitcase when you get a phone call from the taxi driver confirming your pick up time. Luckily, you had brought almost all your things when you went on the weekend trip with Taron, so only a few non-essential items are still at his apartment. You'd spent the last two days in bed, mostly tossing and turning, and a doing a lot of thinking. Unfortunately, you had come to same the conclusion that you did during your argument with Taron, that it's time for you to go home. So yesterday, you finally got yourself out of bed and cleaned up, booked a last minute flight to L.A., and have spent most of today tying up loose ends and packing. After you've checked and re-checked to make sure you have everything, you take a quick glance around the room, smiling at your little home away from home for the last few months. The last thing you grab is Taron's jacket, intending to return it to him on your way out. Once downstairs, you find Julia and tell her goodbye, thanking her profusely for letting you stay and telling her how much you will miss her. She says the same and gives you a heart-warming hug before releasing you and sending you on your way with a batch of her famous oatmeal-chocolate chip cookies.

Once in the cab, you send Richard a text telling him you are heading home, then turn your phone off just in case he attempts to stop you. You had instructed the cab driver to stop by the studio on your way to the airport, and you're just hoping the security guard will still let you in with your badge. Luckily he does, so you tell the driver to please wait for you and that you won't be long. Walking through the studio grounds now seems foreign and unnerving, much like it did the first time you walked through here. Although this time, you don't have the sense of excitement and anticipation, just fore-boding and sadness now. As you walk quickly past the make-up trailer, hoping that no one will see you, you can just make out the silhouette of Taron's trailer beyond, and you hope you haven't come at a bad time. You've been rehearsing all morning, well, the past few days really, what you are going to say to him and you really need to be able to say it. As his trailer comes fully into view, you can see him sitting on the steps, looking off in the other direction. Seeing him gives you butterflies in your stomach, just like the first day you met him, and it amazes you that he still has that effect on you. As you get closer, you see that he's wearing a very flashy, rhinestone studded baseball uniform, complete in hat and glasses, so you figure you must not have much time before he has to go into filming. He must hear you approach on the gravelly ground, because his head turns toward you and his eyes light up when he sees you. He stands immediately and walks over to you, arms slightly outstretched, a relieved smile on his lips. When you don't make a move to reciprocate the gesture, he lowers his hands and looks pointedly at you. You are the one to speak first.

"Hi", you say in a simple greeting.

"Hello, it's good to see you", Taron replies in a formal way, and it saddens you because three days ago you were in his arms making love to him. Now it's as if you're little more than strangers.

"Can we talk?" You ask.

"Of course, do you want to go inside?" He asks, starting toward the trailer.

"No, out here is fine", you say, motioning toward the stairs. The two of you sit down side by side, and you hate that it now feels awkward. He removes his glasses and hat and places them on the step behind him. His eyes have a hollow sunken-in look and his face is pale, and you're not sure if it's the make-up or just because of what he's probably been going through the last few days. You probably look the exact same way, considering what you've been through. You pause a moment, gathering your thoughts, then clear your throat. "Taron, first of all, I'm not mad anymore. I just wanted you to know that. I do know that you had my best interests at heart." He opens his mouth to speak but you stop him. "But I have some things that I need to say to you and I'd like to be able to get them out, ok?"

"Ok," he says, eyes focused on yours. You inhale and exhale deeply before beginning the speech that you've said in your head over and over again since he left you standing in the driveway.

"I'm on my way to the airport but I didn't want to leave things the way we did." His eyes crinkle at the corners and you have to look away. Gathering your strength, you turn back toward him, wanting to look him in the eyes as you speak to him. "I want you to know that being here, working here, meeting you; has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. I never imagined I would ever be able to do anything like this, and I will carry the memory of all of this with me forever", you say, as you look around the grounds then back to him. "I've learned so much here and I think I'm a better artist because of it. I also don't think I would've done as well as I did if it wasn't for you and your faith in me, and I thank you for that. But it's not just about the work. It's so much more than that. I never expected to meet someone like you. You made me to feel things I never thought I could again, and I will always be so grateful to you for that. For everything really. You've changed me for the better, forever. I hope you know that. I want you to know that I don't have any regrets, well maybe Olivia crushing my hand", you say with a half smile. Taron tries to return it but it doesn't quite stick. "But in all seriousness, I've loved every minute of this..." You pause and look him steadily in the eyes. "And I do love you Taron. Very much." At this, he closes his eyes for a moment before opening them again and looking at you with a pained expression. "I think I've loved you since the day I snuck onto the "Your Song" set, and you sang those beautiful words to me, maybe before." He finally smiles, and it tugs at the very center of your soul. "I wish I had told you sooner, but maybe I didn't want to admit it, or maybe I was just scared."

"Then please don't leave", Taron interrupts as he grabs your hands in his. His eyes bore into yours with the most wounded look, it almost makes you change your mind about going.

"I have to", you whisper. "I'm sorry. I don't belong here. I need to go home", you hear yourself recite the mantra you've been saying to yourself over and over again. He nods his head, then looks down at your hands intertwined in his.

"Can we still stay in contact? Can I call you when you get back?" He asks, and you know you have to stay strong, for the both of you.

You pull one of your hands free to rest it against his cheek and he looks back up at you. "I really don't think that's a good idea," you say, and his eyebrows knit together, but he says nothing. "Soon you're going to finish this film, and then you're going to be so busy with promotional tours and premieres and showings...", you say in your most upbeat voice you can muster. "You won't have time to worry about me and I don't want you to", you say. At this, he huffs and shakes his head as you lower your hand. "This is just the beginning for you Taron. You have such great things in store for you and I can't wait to see what those things will be." He looks down again but you force his chin up to look at you. "You have a light inside you that everyone who knows you has seen, and soon the whole world will see it. I have no doubt that I'll be watching you on the big screen and accepting awards in no time, but I need to do that from afar. That's not my life, and I don't need it to be." He nods his head slowly. "Maybe our paths will cross again in the future, and if they do, I'll be thrilled to see you. But for now I think this is best, for both of us. I know you probably don't see it that way now, but in time you will." You exhale sharply with the relief of saying everything you wanted to, so you pause and look over at him.

"Can I say something now?" He asks.

"Of course."

"I do hear what you're saying, and I'm not going to beg you to stay. But you're wrong about one thing", he says, and you raise your eyebrows in question.

"You're right about the promo tours and me being busy and everything, but I will NEVER stop thinking or worrying about you. Because I LOVE you. And I don't take those words lightly. I will always love you and I will always cherish the time we spent together here, no matter what. I've had the most amazing time of my life making this film and you have been a huge part of that. When I signed on to this role, I certainly didn't expect to meet someone that would turn my whole life upside down, in a good way", he adds with a slight grin. "But now I can't imagine my life without you in it." His words make your chest ache, but you smile through it. "And I want you to remember that my first priority was always to protect you, as much as you hate that", he says smiling briefly. "You've changed me too and I will never forget that, or you, no matter how famous I get," he says with a little wink, and you are glad to see he still has his sense of humor. "All I really want is for you to be happy, even if it's not with me", he says, and your throat tightens. And you know that's why you love him, even if it's killing you inside.

"Thank you Taron. Thank you for understanding. Thank you for being humble and kind and good. And thank you for loving me. I know it wasn't always easy."

"Thank you for being you", he whispers. Taron puts his hand against your knee and you try to ignore the way it makes your heart beat a little faster. "One day you'll see in yourself what I've see in you since day one, but until then, please just know that you are a creative, talented, intelligent, caring and beautiful person. And no matter how far away you are, there will always be a sassy welsh guy out there that loves you", he says, his eyes crinkling as he attempts a smile. You nod your head, and not knowing what else to say without losing it completely, you reach around the back of your neck and unclasp the necklace, ready to hand it over to him. You don't feel it would be appropriate to keep the gift now that you're no longer employed here, considering where it came from. Taron realizes what you're doing and puts his hand out to stop you. "No", he says firmly. "If you're planning to give that back to me, you might as well just go toss it in the bin." You freeze with your hand clutched around the delicate chain and stare at him.

"But...", you start, and he interrupts you.

"No, I gave that to YOU. I had it made especially for you. I don't want it back. You don't have to wear it, just keep it, please. As a favor to me. Something to remember me by." As usual, you find it difficult to argue with him, so you smile and nod, and push the necklace gently into your pocket.

"Ok, I'll keep it. But Taron, I don't need a necklace to remember you", you say, touching his cheek one last time. Taking a moment to memorize the way his face feels beneath your fingertips, you lower your hand and rise from the step. Taron does the same and you both walk down the stairs, then turn to face each other. "Goodbye Taron", you say, looking up into his lovely face once more, wincing slightly as the familiar searing pain shoots through your chest.

"Goodbye", he says with a garbled sound. He then pulls you into him, and you can't help but immediately wrap your arms around him. His body is solid, warm and comforting, and you inhale deeply, wanting to remember every last detail of this moment. This man. His smell, his warmth, the way his body contours around yours. Committing it all to memory so that you can re-visit it anytime you want, anytime you need. His hand goes to your hair and smooths it down over your head, then he brings his other hand up to cradle your face as he pulls back to look down into your eyes. You know if you kiss him it will all be over, so as he leans down, you tilt your head to the side and kiss his cheek. He sighs quietly and smiles, then releases you. Taking one last long look at him, you raise your hand to his face and lightly touch the tip of your finger to his perfectly pointy nose. Then, after he gives you one last reassuring smile, you are the one to turn and walk away from Taron and back toward the waiting cab, your heart breaking into a million tiny fragments the whole time.

A few hours later, you are settled into the airplane that will take you home, with Taron's jacket that you "forgot" to give back wrapped tightly around your shoulders. You remove the necklace from your pocket, and gazing down at it for just a moment, fasten it back around your neck. You then place your earbuds into your ears, press play on your music, and grin as the familiar tune fills your senses. Sitting back and resting your head against the seatback, you close your eyes and smile as the vision of two sparkly orange horns, rose-colored heart shaped glasses and a huge pair of feathery angel wings enter your mind. Followed by a dazzling beautiful smile and kind green eyes that you know will be ingrained in your memory forever.

Finally, as the wheels lift up from the runway and the plane ascends into the London sky, you sing quietly out loud, knowing that your words will be drowned out by the roaring engines:

I hope you don't mind  
I hope you don't mind  
That I put down in words  
How wonderful life is while you're in the world...


	35. Epilogue: Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Epilogue...

A few months later...

The sun is bright in the early afternoon L.A. day when you approach your favorite bench to sit and have your lunch like you do on several occasions. You've been working at the television studio a few blocks down for a couple of months now, after taking time to rest your hand at the doctor's insistence (and your mother's) since you returned home. It's pretty much as good as new now, except for a few slight twinges you get here and there, usually from overuse. You had seen the doctor about a week after getting back to get a second opinion, to which you were annoyed that he shared with the doctor in England, and also to get your chest checked out. You were a bit nervous, to say the least, about the results of the x-rays, but in the end the diagnosis turned out to be esophageal spasms, which the doctor had informed you could have been brought on by stress. He had prescribed you medicine and a few breathing exercises to practice when you feel anxious, which has helped immensely, and you haven't thought much about the debilitating chest pain since.

You ended up contacting Lisa soon after your return, and had congratulated her on her upcoming wedding that just took place last month. You had insisted you were happy for her and Anthony, but were not yet ready to attend their wedding. She had understood, and you are happy that things were left on good terms. The two of you are not yet speaking, but you are open to that changing in the future. Luckily, you'd been able to move out of the apartment you had shared together and had found a place not far from work, and with the help of your parents and the compensation from the studio back in England, you are able to afford.

You and Richard talk by text pretty regularly, which has been nice. He contacted you soon after you returned home and after jokingly forgiving you for leaving without saying goodbye in person, he told you he would continue to check in with you and keep you informed on how the Rocketman promotional train is going. He's excited for the premiere coming up in a few months and has mentioned several times that he would love for you to attend, but you've always brushed him off, stating you will be too busy with work. You know that's not the whole reason, but you don't see the point of going into that. Richard doesn't mention Taron, and you don't ask about him. You figure he will tell you if there's something you need to know. It occurred to you once that maybe he was keeping tabs on you at Taron's request, but you had dismissed the thought quickly, deciding that Taron is probably much too busy to be doing something like that.

Soon after moving into your new apartment, you had stumbled upon the job working at the television studio. You are on the make-up team for a new tv show that will be airing sometime in the fall, and they were so impressed by the fact that you had worked on Rocketman that you were practically hired on the spot. You didn't even have to request a referral from Lizzie which was a relief. The hours are much better than they were back in England and the stress level is way lower. The people have all been friendly, kind and professional; and you look forward to going to work every day. You've even been out to have drinks with them a few times and are happy to have found a job where there is little to no drama.

You find it difficult to think about Taron. You made the mistake once, soon after returning home, of going down the "You-Tube rabbit hole" of his past interviews and appearances and it proved much too painful to bear. You had wallowed in self-pity for two days after that, and you vowed to never do it again. Even though you left him on good terms, you try and not allow yourself to go back to that time in England with him, for fear of it being too difficult. You know in time it will become easier, but for now, it's just better this way. As promised, he hasn't contacted you and in some way, it's almost as if it was all a dream. Sometimes you take the necklace he gave you out of your jewelry box, or go to the back of your closet and pull his jacket out, just to remind you that it did in fact happen. You dream about him sometimes, and when you wake up, it takes you a moment to realize that you are back home and he's not there with you. However, you do still feel like you made the right choice, knowing that even though your worlds are somewhat connected, your lives are too different to try and make anything work in the long run.

Finally sitting down on the bench after a long morning at the tv studio, you sigh and tilt your head toward the sun letting it warm your face as you close your eyes. The street noise fills your ears and the smells of the city invade your nostrils. Opening your eyes and bringing your face back to a normal level, you smile as you always do when your vision focuses on the building in front of you, across the busy street. Between the passing cars, the hurried pedestrians and swaying trees, is the familiar grey building with a black sign above the doors. In white lettering that is now permanently etched in your memory is the name, "Troubadour". You're not exactly sure when or how it happened, but you've gotten into the habit of coming out here nearly every day to sit and eat your lunch as you gaze across at the iconic building. Being here just makes you feel better somehow, like a calming effect, and you don't spend too much energy questioning it.

You reach into your bag and pull our your earbuds, then slip them into your ears to listen to music as you enjoy your sandwich and fruit. But before you can press play, you notice a flurry of activity happening just outside the doors of the Troubadour. It's hard to see from this distance and with the busy street in front of you, but it looks as though there's an unusual gathering of people on the sidewalk in front of the building. This normally wouldn't be that odd, but you know that the nightclub doesn't open for several hours yet. Craning your neck to see around the blur of vehicles whizzing by, you can definitely make out a small crowd of people, and what looks to be a few men with rather large cameras held in their hands. Now this is L.A. and it's not uncommon to see television and movie crews here and there, and even the occasional celebrity sighting, but something about this draws your attention a little more closely. Standing so that you can get a better view, you pull your earbuds back out of your ears in case some sound might give a clue as to what's going on across the street.

The pack of people move in a sort of slow clump a few feet closer to the building, and then suddenly the crowd disperses just a bit...and there he is. You squint your eyes to see better, but you don't even have to wonder if it's him because you know you would recognize him anywhere. He's dressed a little different that you were used to seeing before. He's wearing dark pants, a white t-shirt tucked in, and he has a dark blazer draped over his arm. He's also wearing small round sunglasses, and his hair looks different too. It's cut close to his head and is now a soft shade of brown instead of the auburn red color it was the last time you saw him. It's difficult to tell from here, but it looks as though his hairline has grown back in as well. You stare dumbfounded from across the street, and as if on cue, he turns to look directly back at you.

Suddenly time stands still and you are rooted to the spot, your heart beating a little faster. You can't move or even look away, even if you wanted to. It's like you're in one of those movies where everything else just fades away, and it's only the two of you here in this one moment in time. He slowly removes his glasses and continues to stare in your direction, and you wonder briefly if maybe he's just looking somewhere beyond you, but you know he isn't. You watch as a slow smile spreads across his face, lighting his features with a look that you only see in your dreams now. Is this a dream? One of your sleeping fantasies where you wake up and he's not really there?

Someone taps him on the shoulder and he turns away from you to look at them. The person says something to him as he listens, then he says something in return and turns back toward you where you are still frozen on the sidewalk. You feel a little foolish standing here gaping at him, but you can't seem to make yourself budge. He then takes a few steps to his left to the crosswalk at the street corner and pushes the button, still gazing out at you the entire time. A few heart-pounding moments pass, then the cars finally slow and stop at the red light. He slides his sunglasses back onto his face, then glances in both directions before stepping off the curb and walks steadily in your direction. You had almost forgotten how just looking at him takes your breath away. But now that you see him again, the all-too familiar feeling that you felt every day when you were with him comes crashing down around you. Like it never left, like coming home. 

As Taron makes his way across the street and finally approaches you in the warm California sunshine, and you realize that this is most definitely not a dream, you hear yourself utter the words,

"Oh my God..."

The End...

***********************************************************************************************

Wow: eight months, 8,000 reads on Wattpad, 3,000 hits on AO3, 124,000 words later; and I have finally reached the end of this story. When I started writing back in the Summer of 2019 with a few "one-shots", I never intended or imagined for it to be a full-on story. It started out as a way for me to get these imaginings out of my head and onto something tangible, and then it just took on a life of its own. It has truly been a labor of love and I have enjoyed every minute of it.

I hope you, the readers, have enjoyed it too, and I'm so glad you all were able to come along for the ride into my imagination. I have loved reading all your comments and I will be very sad to see this journey end. However, I think it's definitely time, and all good things must come to an end, right? I thank each and every one of you for your votes, comments, kudos, love and loyalty throughout this project.

And most importantly, I thank Taron for being the best muse possible, and inspiring me to write and take on something I'd never really tried before to this extent. I will miss "The Make-Up Artist", the characters, and this work that I have grown to be very protective over. Maybe I will continue the story in one way or another in the future, maybe not. Only time will tell...

Gyda fy holl gariad ( With all my love) ❤️

Music credits:

"Your Song" by Elton John  
"Someone Saved My Life Tonight" by Elton John  
"Tiny Dancer" by Elton John  
"Can't Fight This Feeling" by REO Speedwagon  
"I Won't Lie Down" by Keane  
"With or Without You" by U2


	36. The Story Continues...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The story continues in The Make-Up Artist: Part 2...

Please read the disclaimer and then enjoy!


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